Fragments of Yesterday
by Chained Dove
Summary: The story of Lily, James, their love, their crazy friends, why Remus never wears red without blushing, and why Sirius no longer attempts to make orange juice. A story guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, and rage all at once. In other words, MWPP/L!
1. Mother Knows Best

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter One: Mother Knows Best

Hey everyone!  Chained Dove here with the prequel to my infamous angstfic "Ma Petite Lionne".  A journey likely to span fifty chapters (no, I'm not kidding) and make you think Lee Jordan's commentary was mild.  A story guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, and rage all at once.  In other words… welcome to my telling of the story of Lily, James, their love, their crazy friends, why Remus never wears red without blushing, and why Sirius no longer attempts to make orange juice.  Don't get lost, or I'll be forced to send Velvet after you with assurances that the shape of her nose is entirely _your fault.  You have been warned._

Disclaimer: Hogwarts and all things related are not mine, and if you think they are you've been living on Mars.  The characters that you recognize as Rowling's are Rowling's.  The characters you do _not recognize are not necessarily mine, but rather their own, as most of the cast is made up of my acquaintances who had nothing better to do except show up in a fanfic to terrorize the innocent population of Hogwarts.  There's lots of them, folks, take notes._

This chapter dedicated to Hamham-chan, without whom I would not be a writer today.

Lily Evans liked to say her life had changed dramatically one rainy summer night, when she was shivering through her soaked nightshirt in a hammock and bemoaning the sorry state of her existence.

            Of course, if someone were to ask Lily Evans what she had been doing trying to sleep in the rain, she would have promptly replied that she was there of her own volition after a nasty fight with her elder sister Petunia.  She would also have told that nosy someone that she would much rather be outside than inside, trying to get Petunia to switch that blasted record player off.  She was sick of the Beatles, nearly as sick as she was of Petunia's desire to chatter on and on about boys, most of whom Lily thought to be a waste of perfectly good oxygen.  After relating all this, Lily would punch the lights out of the nosy someone for looking at her in her transparent little nightshirt.  Because that was just the sort of girl Lily Evans was.

            On that particular night, however, Lily was coming perilously close to burying the hatchet and going back inside.  After all, the weather report had said nothing about… well, actually, yes it had.  But Lily agreed with her father that the weather reports always did their best to be wrong, and had therefore been sure of a cloudless night to sleep under the stars.  As this was not to be, Lily was wondering at what temperature a girl in a soaking nightshirt could freeze to death, and whether or not Petunia would leave any flowers on her grave when she died, or just laugh and go off to marry John Lennon (despite him already being married) and-

            Lily grabbed her imagination by the scruff of the neck, metaphorically speaking, and dragged it from that path and back into some semblance of what she considered "normal".

            Of course, that's when the owl swooped down.

            Now, out in her country home just west of the ocean, owls were a relatively ordinary occurrence.  She was not, perhaps, as wild as some of the village children, who calmly disappeared into the woods for days at a time and returned unscathed to the unworried parents.  No, Lily's father would say, it was her English side showing through.  Harold Evans was a simple Englishman who had had the good (or perhaps bad) fortune to lose his heart to Alanna O'Ryan, who, of course, just happened to be Irish enough to agree to marry him only if he came to _her.  Accordingly, they lived on the rocky coast of Ireland, and on a clear day, one could easily see Wales across the channel.  Even so, Petunia was the English one.  Lily had the fiery temper and hair of her Irish mother, along with her whipcord figure and a smattering of freckles that seemed all her own, and entirely unwelcome.  An Irish girl living on the edge of nowhere should __not have been surprised to see an owl._

            Lily probably would not have been surprised, had the owl not dropped an envelope in her lap.  Furthermore, said owl then proceeded to hover above Lily's head, blocking the majority of the rain, and obviously waiting for Lily to open and read the letter.  This was, understandably, nowhere near standard owl behavior, and thus Lily spent a few moments in silent bafflement before picking up the strange envelope.

            In curly, bright green writing, it had her name and address carefully written across the front, though it was, for some odd reason, addressed to _The Hammock Under the Pine Trees, which made Lily think she had slept out here too often in the past month.  "Come on, then," she said to the owl, standing up.  "If I'm to have a bizarre dream, I had rather be drinking a glass of warm milk, and I'm sure I can find you __something to eat.  I wonder if owls like toast?"  With that question, she began to head up the hill towards the house, not at all surprised to see the owl following her in._

            Lily pulled a jar of milk out of the refrigerator and poured some into a saucepan to warm up for herself.  She then hunted up some bread in the breadbox and buttered two slices.  She offered one to the owl, and the bird actually seemed to nod and hoot acceptance before beginning to eat it daintily, picking pieces of it off with its sharp talons.  Somehow, Lily was not at all surprised.

            The milk warmed and poured, Lily sat down at the table just as the coo-coo clock struck midnight.  "All right, my friend," she said to the owl, taking a sip and leaving a white moustache across her upper lip.  "Let's see what we have here."  She opened the envelope and began to read aloud.  _"Dear Ms. Evans; We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to __Hogwarts__School__ of Witchcraft and Wizardry…" She looked up at the owl and blinked.  Was it just her, or was the creature __grinning at her?  The owl winked.  Lily pinched herself.  The owl winked exaggeratedly again, and then floated to the window, undid the latch itself, and soared off into the night.  About that time, Lily started to believe._

            And that was the moment she later claimed her life had changed course dramatically.  And she was entirely right.

***

            As it was, the reader will not be surprised in the least to hear that Lily woke up Harold and Alanna Evans with her excited squealing, or the fact that she managed to trip over Petunia, who was heading to the bathroom across the hall from her room.  Muttering a quick apology to her sister, she flew into her parents' bedroom and bounced on the bed between them.  "Mum, Dad!"

            "She's gone crazy, Alanna," Harold murmured, trying to sleep by placing the pillow over his head.  "'S your Irish roots, I told you…"   He yawned widely, then cringed as Alanna smacked him lightly without even opening her eyes.

            "Lily, whatever is the matter?" she asked in her lilting accent, muffled and sleepy at the moment.

            "She's gone crazy," was Petunia's sour opinion from the doorway.

Lily stuck her tongue out at her sister.  "Have _not, Petunia!  You had better just watch out, or I'll turn you into a toad!"_

Petunia rolled her eyes.  At just barely twelve, she considered herself far more mature than her ten-year-old sister.  Lily's eleventh birthday _was just around the corner, but Petunia felt an age older than Lily, as she often told her in haughty tones.  Now was no different.  "Oh please.  Mum, I do believe Lily thinks she's a __witch."_

"But I _am!"_

Petunia had not been expecting that sort of answer for her barb, and was left with a gaping mouth while she sorted this unexpected predicament out.  She struggled to think of something scathing to say, but the best she could manage at the moment was a reiteration of her earlier statement.  "What you _are is crazy."_

Alanna, however, was sitting up, completely alert, and looking at her youngest daughter with avid interest.  "What do you mean, dearest?" she asked curiously.  "You sound quite serious."

"I am, Mum!" she replied cheerfully, thrusting the by-now rumpled letter at her mother.  "Look!  An owl came and delivered this to me!  Can you believe it?  An _owl!  And it __winked at me!  Twice!"_

Petunia snorted in disbelief as her mother, obviously unfazed, switched the bedside light on and began perusing the letter.

Harold, meantime, was having a hard time waking up.  "'Lanna, the bed's all wet again," he murmured.  "Have you gone an' let Petty sleep with us after a nightmare?  You _know she wets the bed."_

Lily sniggered and Petunia turned bright red and declared, "I have _not done that in… __months!"  Looking defiantly at her sister, as though daring her to laugh louder, she added, "So there."_

"I wonder what they say about that at St. Mary's," Lily grinned, referring to the all-girls boarding school Petunia had begun attending last year.  "I'm sure they'd be so very disappointed to learn that their idol actually wets the bed at twelve years old…"

Petunia made a choking sound as Harold sat up, still disoriented.  "I'm the most popular girl in my year at St. Mary's!" Petunia replied haughtily.  "You can never hope for the girls there to like you nearly as much!  They're proper _ladies like me, not __harridans such as yourself!"_

"No name calling, please, darling," Alanna said mildly, still reading the letter.  "Besides, as it stands, it appears that Lily will not be attending St. Mary's this fall."  She put down the letter and hugged her grinning daughter, wet nightshirt and all.  "Harold, we are to have a witch in the family!"

Harold sat up, wide awake, and looked puzzled.  Alanna and Lily grinned identical grins at him, and Petunia's jaw nearly hit the floor.  Harold recovered first.  "A witch?"

Alanna nodded and thrust the letter at him.  "You remember Mum's stories about her childhood friend Arabella, don't you?"

"The one who disappeared when it was time to start finishing school and came back riding a dragon, calm as you please?  How could I forget an outlandish story like that?"  He smiled at the memory.  "I always wanted to meet this Arabella to see if the stories were true, but she well and truly vanished from the Isles, as Mary could never get in contact with her.  I remember she went to some crazy sort of school, too.  Pig-something… ah, well, stories are stories.  What in heaven's name does that have to do with my daughter jumping sopping wet on my bed in the middle of the night?"

"Sorry Daddy," Lily said shamefacedly.

"It's not Pig-something, Harold.  It's Hogwarts.  As Mum said, the best wizarding school in Europe… and this lucky little pixie has just been accepted there."  She patted Lily's bedraggled head.  Her hair had come out of the two long braids somewhat, and was making a messy carrot-red halo around her head.  "Congratulations, darling.  I never dreamed… there's no magical blood in our family, I was rather convinced neither of you would be going there.  But… Petunia certainly wouldn't have liked to be a witch though, would you, Petty?"

Petunia "hmphed" again.  "I want nothing to do with Grandma's bedtime stories, Mum.  I can't believe _you believe them, really.  Witches, wizards, Hogs with warts-"_

_"Hogwarts," Lily said pointedly._

"Whatever," Petunia waved her off.  "Magic isn't _real."_

"Is _too!" Lily shouted heatedly.  "Just because __you have no imagination to speak of, Petunia!  You never even believed in Santa Claus!"_

"Because it's ridiculous," Petunia stated.  "I still can't believe you cried when Amelia told you he wasn't real.  Honestly, you were eight."

"I still can't believe you _didn't cry," Lily whispered softly.  Then she turned to her parents.  "Mummy, Daddy, I __can go, can't I?"_

Harold seemed much recovered after reading the letter, and was positively beaming.  "I should say so!" he said jovially.

"Of course, Lily, but only on one condition," Alanna said slyly.

"Anything, Mum!"

"Promise me _never to turn your sister into a toad?"_

Lily sighed and made a face.  "Blast," she said.  "I'd hoped you'd forgotten.  All right, all right.  No turning Petunia into a toad.  Can't say I won't be tempted though."

Petunia rolled her eyes again.  "I live with a bunch of lunatics!" she exclaimed.  "I'm going to bed before I have _another ridiculous nightmare."  With that, she stomped off, leaving Lily alone with her parents, who looked after their eldest with a mixture of concern and frustration._

"She'll be all right in the morning," Harold reassured Alanna.  "You know how girls that age are."

"_I'll never be that way, even at that age," Lily said confidently.  Then, she looked at her letter again.  Cauldron, wand, spellbooks… "Mum, where on earth are we going to find these sorts of things?"_

And Alanna just smiled benignly and said "Lily, honey, how would you feel about a trip to London?  You know you can get anything on earth there."  She got up and put on a dressing gown.  "Come on, I'll make use tea before we go back to bed and we'll talk.  I seem to recall Mrs. O'Malley in the village having a Hogwarts child. Molly, isn't it?"

Lily stared at her mother's back as she descended the stairs between her parents.  "Mum, how do you _know all this?"  She took her seat at the familiar oak table as her mother began making tea.  "I know Molly better than you do, and all __I know is that she goes to some boarding school in England…"_

"But she never specifies, does she?" Alanna said comfortably.  "Besides, I saw her flying a broomstick a few months ago.  Of course, she promptly fell off.  I don't think Molly is very coordinated."  The water boiled, and Alanna set a pot of tea on the table.  "So, I'll ask Mrs. O'Malley tomorrow, and I'm sure she will be glad to tell us what we need to know.  I'm long due for a nice shopping spree.  This will be exciting!"

Lily imagined she felt something like her father looked: poleaxed.  "These Irish," Harold muttered, but with a smile on his face.  "They think they know everything."

"That's because we do," Alanna replied good-naturedly.  "Sugar in your tea, dear?"

***

The next day Lily followed behind her mother as they took the long coastline route to the village.  "Mum, I'm scared," she voiced the doubts she had not had a chance to the night before.  "What if I'm no good at this?"

Alanna sighed and tweaked the end of one long red braid, even more glaringly bright in the sunlight.  "Darling, what's the worst that could happen?"

Lily thought for a moment.  "Well, for one thing, Molly might not really be a witch, and when we ask, Mrs. O'Malley will be horrified and sic the village council on us, and they'll burn me at the stake though I suppose they don't really do that anymore, but couldn't they make an exception?"

Alanna, by this time, had stopped, and was bent over laughing merrily.  "Perhaps I should not have asked," she finally managed.  "Your imagination, in any case, is perfectly intact."

Lily sighed deeply and only said ominously: "You'll see."

Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the pretty O'Malley house, where roses bloomed all around.  "They seem gentle enough," Alanna said idly, rapping her knuckles on the door.  There was a sound of someone falling down the stairs, then a few moments of silence.  Finally, seventeen-year-old Molly opened the door, smoothing her hair, which was almost as shockingly red as Lily's, and trying to look like she _hadn't just tripped. "Good morning, Mrs. Evans," she said politely.  "Good morning, Lily."_

Lily waved weakly, but Alanna seemed perfectly at ease.  "You look lovely, Molly-dear.  Is your mother at home, by chance?  I would like to speak with her."

Molly nodded vigorously.  "Yes, she's in the kitchen mending my school robes-I mean, uniform."  She blushed brightly.  "Um… please come in… I'll call her for you…"  She ran into the house, hurriedly attempting to retie the bow at the back of her apron and not trip at the same time.  There was a muffled crash after she turned the corner.  Lily stifled a laugh as she stepped into the sunny hall with her mother.  She did not, however, stop clutching Alanna's hand.

A minute later, a friendly looking woman with her hair in a bun and kind brown eyes stepped out of the direction of the kitchen.  "Lovely to see you, Alanna," she smiled. "Come into the parlor; Molly will bring us tea."

Lily followed her mother and Mrs. O'Malley into the equally friendly, sunny parlor, and thought that perhaps she_ had overreacted.  A little.  Mrs. O'Malley wouldn't order her burned at the stake.  Probably._

"Thank you, Molly," Alanna said as the girl brought in tea and biscuits.

"Thank you, Molly," Lily parroted.

"I'm sorry about the unexpected visit, Brenna," Alanna began apologetically.

"No need to be sorry, dear!" Mrs. O'Malley grinned.  "She's gotten her letter, I expect?  Always glad to help out a fellow witch in need… wizarding code of honor, after all.  I daresay we will have a lot of fun, won't we Lily?"

Lily, at the moment, resembled a fish.  In other words, she was gaping silently, attempting and failing miserably to say something.  She finally managed a very intelligent "Er?"

Brenna O'Malley actually laughed.  "Weren't expecting it, Lily?  Well, Headmaster Dumbledore… great man, him… he owled me asking if I would help you get ready for school your first year.  He felt sure that your parents would be supportive but not… particularly helpful."

Alanna sipped her tea with an amused look on her face.  "Always the first to know anything, Brenna," she accused.  "I'll do what I can, simple country girl as I am."

"Oh, one of the best Muggles I've ever met, certainly," Brenna agreed readily.  "But I will have to take her places where Muggles just can't _go, since you can't very well buy a decent cauldron in downtown Dublin.  Though of course, Aiden says Cauldwell's is __trying to open a branch there, so it won't be too much longer."_

Lily blinked.  And then, feeling very stupid, blinked again.  "Muggles?" she finally asked, seizing onto the only part of the monologue she was sure she knew _why she didn't understand.  She hadn't understood any of that, actually, but at least this word she could ask about._

"Non-wizarding people," Brenna replied readily.  "Your folks are the best kind-open minded."  She beamed at Alanna across the coffee table.  "Then there are the Maguires across the way, who shut their shutters at any sign of witchcraft.  Poor Molly has to do her summer homework in a stuffy room because we shut all the windows so as not to give Annie Maguire conniptions."

"Ah," Lily said.

"But in any case, we were about to leave for London ourselves tomorrow morning; we'll be glad to take Lily along.  Diagon Alley should serve well enough for all her needs.  I think… oh, 300 pounds should do for her shopping.  That will give her a bit to start school with too, once we convert it to real money."

Alanna paled.  "That's an awful lot of money, Brenna…"

"No tuition," Brenna countered with a smirk.  "Only supplies and spending money.  No ferry ticket, no train ticket, no school tuition."  She coked an eyebrow.  "You pay more per year for Petunia's schooling, Alanna, I know.  Hogwarts is… a very special school.  It runs entirely on donations and funding from the Ministry of Magic."

Molly had come back in and sat down.  "You're going to Hogwarts too, Lily?  It's wonderful!  Only… Arthur won't be there this year…" and to everyone's vast surprise, she burst into tears.

"You'll have to pardon her," Brenna said with a sigh.  "Her beau graduated last year, and this, apparently, means the end of the world."  This said, Brenna did her best to calm her hysterical daughter, eventually sending her upstairs to wash her face.  "I hope the boy marries her before she cries herself to nothing," she sighed.  "Nice boy, old wizarding family.  Poor as church mice, though, and he's preoccupied with Muggles… set his hair on end last year playing with electricity and ended up in the hospital wing for the parting feast, Head Boy though he was; Molly told me about it…"  Sighing, she began to clear the table.  "Lily, you've been awfully quiet.  Are you all right?"

Lily, whose head with still spinning with everything she was learning, finally managed to set her mind straight.  It told her the following things: One; she was going to a school _without Petunia in it.  Two; she was going to London the next morning.  And three… she was going to be a witch and learn magic, live in a world where mail was delivered by owls, people traveled by broomstick, and her homework probably included explosions… which brought her to one conclusion.  __"Hoorah!" she screamed, dancing around the living room, disregarding the strange looks she was getting from the two women.  "I'm going to be a witch!"_

"I believe," Alanna said dryly, "that she's going to be _just fine."_


	2. Hate at First Sight

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Two: Hate at First Sight

Hello again everybody!  Missed me?  Sorry, this chapter took a while!  I had some writer's block until I decided to stop telling the story in third-person Lily.  Then everything was simple!  No more problems!  Now, this chapter introduces James and his family, as well as Sirius and his harried mother.  Expect Lottie and Abigail, at the very least, in the very next chapter.  I had _way too much fun with a book of mythology.  Pity the characters that don't yet have middle names…_

Disclaimer: I like pudding.  Do you?

This chapter dedicated to Thalia, because it's nice to have a beta editor.

James Potter, very unlike Lily Evans, did not have the course of his life changed by his Hogwarts letter.  In fact, if anything, his life continued in its usual vein afterwards, and he would have been shocked had the letter _not come.  The owl arrived in mid-afternoon as James and his best friend Sirius Black were swooping around on their broomsticks, a Nimbus 1500 and a Nimbus 1000 respectively.  Although James was clearly on the superior broomstick, in this strange game which seemed to involve attempting to unseat your opponent, Sirius clearly had the upper hand._

In fact, the owl swooped down on an extremely odd sight which involved two brooms and two boys tangled and struggling about fifty feet up in the air.  "Ow!  Sirius, that's my nose!"  The owl decided to deliver to the inside of the house, as the addressee was otherwise occupied.

"Fair's fair!" the other boy replied in a cheerful Scottish brogue.  Sirius had been born in Glasgow, and migrated south two years ago to settle in the same small and exclusive wizarding settlement just north of London as James.  Since they were the only boys of an age, it wasn't a surprise to anyone that they became instant friends, though if anything, they seemed hostile at the moment.  "Now, surrender or die!"

James struggled some more, more for the sake of show.  He was very aware that he could _not get out from under the taller boy.  "Never!" he called bravely.  "You'll have to kill me first… you just threatened to do that, didn't you?"_

Sirius grinned.  "Bloody brilliant as always," he drawled.  "Give up!"

James was seriously considering swallowing his pride when Sabrina Potter's shrill young voice carried from the ground.  "Jamie!  You have mail!  And Mum says get down before she comes out there and makes you!"

The boys quickly disentangled themselves and sank to the ground.  Tabitha Potter always meant business.  

"Sirius, your mum's looking for you," Sabrina said nonchalantly.  "I think she's pretty mad about something.  She floo'd over here and she looked like something had just exploded all over her."  Sabrina, always precocious, and rather mischievous, grinned.  Her personality was eerily akin to James', despite her being five years younger than him.  "Did you leave some kind of explosive lying around again?"

Sirius paled.  "Oh _shit.  Oh, blood and bloody-"_

"Sirius," James warned, his voice very carefully level.  "There's a six-year-old present."

"Oh please," Sabrina waved a hand in an uncannily adult gesture.  "I've heard worse from you hundreds of times."

"Only because you listen when you're not supposed to," James cut off.  "Now, do you have something useful to say, or are you just hanging around?"

"Your Hogwarts letter is on the table," she said, then made a face.  "I know, I know.  'Sod off, Sabrina.'"

"See, we don't even need to tell you anymore," James said, and pushed her back into the house.   He then turned to the very gloomy looking Sirius.  "What did you leave lying around this time, you idiot?"

Sirius winced.  "You remember those wet-start fireworks that we injected with paint to explode on Patricia Wells?"

James paled as well.  "No."

Sirius nodded.  "I think so…"

James patted Sirius' shoulder.  "I'll come to your funeral."

Sirius glared at him.  "Thanks for the encouragement, old chum."

"Always.  Now go find some flowers for your mum.  She likes them."

***

            Against all reason, Sirius was alive and well three days later.  His mother had apparently exchanged fury for lenience when Sirius had received his own Hogwarts letter.  No one had doubted Sirius' admission, yet at the same time, Natalie Black was unduly worried.  Sirius had had a Muggle father, and somehow, she had always been convinced that Sirius could possibly take after him, despite his levitating objects around the house by the age of three years old.

            Accordingly, Tabitha Potter volunteered to take the boys shopping, mainly to save "poor Natalie's ragged nerves".  Both boys were, according to their mothers, a menace to society, but Sirius was markedly worse.  The furied shouts of "Sirius Orion Black, _get back here!" were a trademark of the village by now._

            "Now, James Quirinus Potter-"

            James winced.  He hated his middle name with as much of a passion as his mother hated dungbombs, which was certainly saying something.  There was no reasonable explanation for Tabitha's fixation with mythology, except perhaps her unfortunate history of uncanny success in Divination.  Sabrina's middle name was Diana, which really wasn't fair in James' opinion, as it was a lot less distinguishing, and certainly less embarrassing, than his.

            "-I want no trouble today from you _or Sirius.  Do I make myself clear?"_

            James smiled in an innocent sort of way.  "Why Mum, would I ever-"

            "Yes," Sabrina piped up from the corner, where she was examining herself in the hall mirror, trying to decide on the color ribbon to tie in her hair.

            James glared halfheartedly then laughed.  "Good point."

            "Turn out your pockets, please."

            "But Mum-"

            "Do I have to repeat myself?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.  "Turn them out, or I'll _know you're hiding something."_

            James sighed in a world-weary way and did as he was told, spilling several dungbombs, a badly made trick wand, and a packet of cockroach clusters onto the floor.  He was well-aware that his mother wouldn't let him out of the house without confiscating _something, and so was very pleased that he had thought to hide the last of the paint-imbued fireworks in his shoes._

            Tabitha glared at him and at long last handed the cockroach clusters back to him.  "Spoil your dinner and I'll start taking offense at your bad taste in sweets."

As James was never planning on eating them, rather on slipping them to unsuspecting females, he only smiled angelically.  "Of course, Mum."

Just then, Sirius entered the house, humming under his breath and looking every bit then cat who had swallowed the canary.  "Sirius Orion Black."

"Yes'm?"

"Turn out your pockets."

A package of fireworks, nose-biting teacup, mouth-burning gum, fizzing whizbees, and two jelly slugs later, they were on their way via the floo network.

***

Lily had awakened that morning with an acute sense of excitement.  She had been a bit disoriented at first, because she had had a strange dream about broomsticks, flying, and why one should _always keep her hair up if she wished to fly.  As she had become steadily more alert, the dream had resolved itself into the realities of the previous evening.  In an attempt to cheer up, Molly had decided to show Lily her broomstick while Brenna and Alanna chatted over tea.  Accordingly, the broom-a Shooting Star-was brought out and displayed proudly._

Lily had asked to see Molly fly the broomstick, and the other girl had readily agreed for a chance to show off, gushing that Arthur had taught her everything he knew about flying and Quidditch (which Lily was too proud to ask the meaning of).  After saying this, it came as no surprise that Lily had spent half an hour extracting Molly from a treetop, where the elder girl had gotten caught by her long hair.  Lily had decided that either Arthur was a hopeless teacher, or Molly a hopeless student.  She had an inkling it might be both.

This still made her giggle as she walked down the strange street between Brenna and Molly, eyes wide as an owl's as she took in the sights.  Diagon Alley was a strange and wonderful sort of place to her, and she kept having to restrain herself from pointing out a moving mannequin in a store window or children throwing explosive flowers at each other.  Brenna and Molly seemed to take this all in due course, ducking around a crowd of children at a sweetshop window and bemoaning the unusually high prices on bat liver.

They had just left Gringotts Bank, where odd, frightening little creatures had exchanged Lily's pound notes for big gold and silver coins.  She had no idea how this erratic exchange rate worked-she thought there were eleven Sickles in a Galleon, although maybe there were twenty-nine-but knuts simply bewildered her, so she thought it best if she let the O'Malleys spend her money, once she had chosen.

"Here's Ollivander's,"  Brenna said, stopping by the doorway.  "Go on in, Lily.  It will take a bit before he's satisfied, and Molly and I need to duck next door for a minute.  We'll be back soon, don't look so scared!"  She smiled and gave Lily a push towards the door.

Inside it was hushed, much in the same way a library would be.  An owlish man with shining spectacles stood behind the counter, meddling with something until he was at last pleased with the result.  Looking up, he smiled softly at the young girl.  "I had wondered when you would come in here instead of standing outside like this was a dragon's cave.  I don't bite, you know.  You can come a bit closer."

Lily did, moving silently across the dusty floor.

"What is your name?" the man enquired.

"Lily Evans," she said, finally finding her voice.  After her initial fear of being left alone, she began to relax.  "I'm here to buy…" She suddenly realized that the O'Malley's hadn't told her what she needed here.  Frantically she scanned the store, and found her answer.  "A wand, please."

Mr. Ollivander nodded.  "Of course, of course.  Let me see here…"  he disappeared behind the shelves.  Shortly, his head appeared above them, as though he was standing on a ladder.  "Well, this is an interesting choice…"

Climbing down, he handed her a short, smooth wand of wood.  "Rowan wood, dragon heartstring, eight inches, very sturdy.  Perhaps just right for the Irish temper I see sparkling in your eyes…"

Lily held the wand, wondering what was supposed to happen now.  "I don't think…"

"Wave it around a bit first, then we'll see."

Lily obligingly did so, and nothing happened.  She sighed and looked expectedly at Mr. Ollivander.

"All right then, let's see."  He took the wand, went into the very back of the store, and returned with another, light colored.  "Birch and phoenix feather, twelve and a half inches, nice and springy."

Lily waved this one too, and again nothing happened.

"No, not quite, not quite…"  The old man disappeared for quite a long time this time, and finally returned with another box, this one very dusty.  "So… try this one, then.  Ten inches, willow and unicorn hair, nice and swishy.  One of the feistiest female unicorns I've ever met.  It's a bit temperamental, but…" He handed Lily the wand and immediately she felt a unity with it, as though a piece of her that had been missing was found.  "Go on, give it a wave for me, then."

She did so, and for a second felt a blinding heat, as though her blood were boiling.  The heat congregated in the area of her hand, and suddenly, sparks began to fly, until the entire shop was shimmering.  Lily looked in amazement at the man.  "Well," he said, his eyebrows raised high.  "I suppose that's it, then."

Lily nodded silently, clasping the wand to her chest with one hand, not letting go even as she paid.  She walked out of the store, never releasing the wand, looking back only once, to see the man with the owl eyes watching her consideringly.  "Yes, I suppose we can expect great things from you, my girl… I'll be watching…"

Lily gulped, and her eyes looked nervous when she met her reflection's gaze in the store window.

Once outside in the sunlight and cheerful cacophony of Diagon Alley, Lily slipped her wand into the pocket of her pretty white dress.  It had been a bit vain of her to wear her best dress today, but she had just felt so wonderful she hadn't been able to stop herself.

She saw Brenna and Molly emerging from the shop next door with a cage which contained a small, fluffy bird.  "Lily!  Done already?"

Lily nodded.  "Yes."  She examined the bird curiously.  "What exactly is that?"

Brenna looked smug.  "An owl.  We were lucky enough that Pandora had several hatchlings this year."  She smiled and handed the cage to Lily.  "Pandora is quite a special owl, after all, or the owner of Eeylop's wouldn't keep her exclusively for his mail.  This is the smallest of the lot, and she won't be able to carry anything heavy for a few months, but you'll be able to train her up proper."  She beamed.  "Consider it a congratulatory present from Molly and me.  We wanted so badly to do something nice."

Lily looked at the tiny owl, who looked back at her with huge, intelligent amber eyes.  The owl opened her diminutive beak and squeaked softly.  Lily was enchanted.  "Thank you," she said softly.  "Thank you so much."

"What are you going to call her, Lily?" Molly wanted to know.

Lily giggled.  "That's easy enough.  I think she'll be Athena.  Her feathers will be a pretty gold in no time."  She stuck her finger through the bars of the cage and stroked the little owl.

"That's a nice name," Molly agreed.  "Arthur has a nice young owl too-his name is Errol and-"

Brenna placed a warning hand on Molly's shoulder and the girl quickly changed the subject.  "Well, anyway.  Can we go to Madam Malkin's next?  I need new dress robes anyway, and you need to pick up your school uniform."

Lily nodded and the three of them headed around the corner and down the street before they stopped in front of a shiny new storefront.  The display in the window showcased an eclectic selection of robes: from the stark black Hogwarts uniforms, to sleek business robes in muted colors, to beautiful wedding robes.  "Cynthia has only just opened her store in the past year, but everyone is coming here now," Brenna said matter-of-factly.  "It used to be only Gladrags, but Cynthia would have none of it and started her own fashion firm the moment she left Hogwarts.  Her designs are exquisite."  She smiled slightly at the wedding robes in the display.  "I don't know how she finds time to hand-sew the more expensive orders.  She needs to hire a few more seamstresses."  Leading the two girls inside, she sent Molly with a wave towards the selection of dress robes on the left wall before turning her full attention to Lily.  "The prices are much better here," she grinned,  "so you won't break your purse trying to get clothed for school."

"Mrs. O'Malley!"  Lily turned in the direction of the bright, cheerful voice, and nearly gaped at the beautiful girl with a brown braid snaking down to her knees that was sporting a robe so shockingly pink that Lily had to blink once or twice before she could look at her without astonishment.

"I tell you again and again, Cynthia, to call me Brenna.  I've got a new one for Hogwarts.  Muggle-born, you know.  Doing a favor for a friend."

Cynthia nodded.  "Of course, of course.  Come over here, dear.  Step up on the stool… there you go.  What did you say your name was?"

Lily, overwhelmed by Cynthia Malkin's energy and quick manner of speech, was a few moments answering.  "Er… Lily.  Lily Evans."

"Splendid, splendid.  Let's see here…"  Cynthia dug out a tape measure which began to zip all around Lily's body with extraordinary speed, completely untouched by the shop-owner.  "My, Lily, don't you have lovely hair!"

Lily snorted quietly.  She hated her long, thick, wavy, carrot-red hair.  It was bundled into two braids now, and along with her plethora of freckles, made her look very homely, at least in Lily's opinion.

"I would dress you in forest green if I had the choice, but of course Hogwarts is ever so strict as far as robes go… let's see."  She snatched the tape measure out of the air, where it was measuring the distance between Lily's nostrils, vanished for a few moments and reappeared with a stack of black robes.  "Try this one on."

It fit perfectly, and Cynthia nodded her approval.  "Very nice.  They're a bit long, but you'll grow into them in no time.  Here's five, and a uniform hat, of course.  There you go.  Go up to the counter and I'll take your payment there."

Lily shakily carried the stack of fabric up to the counter, where Molly, looking very pleased, was clutching a frilly pink robe and arguing with her mother.  "But Mum, I _like pink!"_

"But darling, pink doesn't suit with red hair!  How about a nice gray, or-"

"You said I could have any one I want!  I want the pink.  And it's a nice pink, isn't it, Athena?"  The little owl in her cage chose not to comment.

Cynthia flew in behind the counter, took Lily's payment, looked critically at Molly's choice, but said nothing as she named a price.  Brenna grumbled but paid it.

Then they left Madam Malkin's and walked down the street, stopping to buy a cauldron, potions supplies, quills, parchment, and ink.

That's when it happened.

Lily, walking down the street loaded down with parcels, understandably couldn't see where she was going.  Therefore it was justifiably the fault of the spectacled boy with messy hair that ran into her that she fell.  Her new bottle of black ink somehow got unstoppered and spilled all over her white dress.  Lily was left lying on the street, surrounded by parcels, blinking dumbly at the ink stain on her dress.

It didn't help that the boy began to laugh.  It helped even less that he turned to his friend and asked "I wonder if we can set it to do that on _purpose?"_

That's when Lily found her voice.  **_"YOU BLOODY BASTARD!" she screamed, glad for once that her sister was fixated on bad soap operas where the women all yelled at the men before kissing them passionately.  They had some original insults, in any case.  _****_"YOU SPOILED MY BEST DRESS!"_**

And the boy, looking only a little alarmed at the tone of her voice, asked his friend, "Gee, Sirius, you think she's mad at me?"

Just then, a harried female voice called from around the corner.  "James!  Sirius!  Get back here!  James, if you've lost your sister-"

The boy (obviously James) ignored Lily now and turned to his friend.  "Shit, Sirius.  We have to find Sabrina."  Then, with a grin and a wave to Lily, "Bye, Carrots!"

And Lily was left alone in the middle of the street, until Molly and Brenna picked her pathetic figure up and attempted to clean her off with magic before buying new ink.  Whoever this James character was, Lily decided she did _not like him._

***

            James, wandering around the alleyways, trying to find the misplaced Sabrina, heard a roar over the rumble of the crowd.  **_"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!!"_**

            "I think she likes you, old buddy," Sirius said with a laugh, dodging James' consequent blow.  "Have we made a conquest?  Aww!"

            "Please," James said with disgust.  "An ugly carrot-head with an Irish temper and no sense of humor?  I'd as soon kiss Patricia."

            Sirius grinned slyly as he slung his arm around James' shoulders.  "Right, old buddy, old pal.  Of course not."


	3. Carrot-heads and Curses

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Three: Carrot-heads and Curses

Here it is!  The not-so-long-awaited chapter three!  The Hogwarts express, a very _unusual teacher, and why Lottie wanted to turn Severus orange (hey, it's the reason I'd give!), as well as an embarrassing moment for Peter and the first of many, __many lectures for the Marauders-to-be from the staff.  And if that's not enough, Lily plots revenge, Lucius gets his hair burnt off, and an ironic little argument about Azkaban.  Here are your cameos, boys and girls!  Be prepared to develop your character traits __soon…_

Disclaimer: All MIIIIIINE!  MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Erm… or not.  Don't sue.

This chapter dedicated to Kat, who's just had a birthday, despite the fact that we have a communication problem.

The next month dragged by for Lily.  She spent most of it avoiding Petunia.  Her older sister didn't make it too difficult, as she now apparently wanted nothing to do with Lily.  If there had been mild animosity between them before, it was now full-blown hatred on Petunia's side.  Lily was feeling very exasperated with the whole situation, as she hadn't done a thing except perhaps prove talented in yet another area where Petunia was lacking.  Lily thought it rather unfair that her sister, who was very pretty with her fine, straight blonde hair, not only preened in the mirror for hours daily, but also resented Lily's surpassing her in something which she, at least, considered far less important than looks.

            Lily did try not to sleep in the hammock much anymore, though.  Athena was still small enough that Lily didn't want to leave her out in the cool nights for fear of illness.  Leaving her alone upstairs was also definitely out.  Lily had tried once, but Athena had raised a racket and she had run back inside to discover Petunia attempting to clip the baby's wings, an angry, focused look on her face.  After that, Lily didn't let the owl out of her sight.

            She let out an audible sigh of relief on the night of August the thirty-first.  They had spent the past few days traveling to London, and were staying in a small inn somewhere on the outskirts.  Petunia's train for St. Mary's was leaving the same morning, so Alanna had thought it easier all around for them to go together.  Brenna had wanted to take Lily so they could travel by floo powder, but Lily, very fond of her parents, gently declined the nice offer.

Thus, she was on the top floor of the little inn, very aware of Petunia sleeping in the next bed.  It had taken Alanna cajoling and Harold threatening to get her to sleep in the same room as Lily, and to promise not to harm any of Lily's things, but it had been managed.  Just in case, Lily was planning not to sleep.  She was far too excited, anyway.  In her last days in Ireland she had opened the window of her room nightly, and heard, very softly, the surf pounding in the distance.  Wherever Hogwarts was, as no one seemed entirely sure, the ocean was _not audible, according to Molly, and Lily knew she would miss it.  At least London wasn't silent, though they were in a quiet neighborhood._

            An owl soared in through her window and Lily familiarly held out a hand to stroke it once it had perched on a bedpost.  She recognized the owl, of course.  Brenna's stately horned owl was twice the size of most she had seen in Diagon Alley.  Furthermore, Athena's squeal of undiluted terror as she bunched into a corner of her cage was familiar as well-apparently, she did not particularly like horned owls.  "Hello, Rowena," Lily said with a smile, untying the small rolled parchment from the owl's leg.  "Are you feeling well tonight?"  She had always talked to animals.  It was just funny when suddenly, the animals seemed to understand and, in their limited way, talk back.  Rowena, for instance, hooted softly in assent, indicating that everything was fine.

            Lily unrolled the parchment and quickly scanned the several lines of Brenna's neat handwriting.

            _Lily,_

_            I'm just sending you the note to remind you that we_

_            will meet you at King's Cross, as your parents are_

_            making the journey to see Petunia off as well.  Do_

_            try to be on time, the Hogwarts Express has left_

_            without students before.  Molly and I will meet you_

_            at the border between platforms nine and ten.  Do___

_            try not to be late!_

_            -Brenna_

            Lily smiled at Brenna's obvious worry, and turned the parchment over.  Grabbing the pen embossed with the inn's name from the nightstand, she quickly scribbled a _"Don't worry, we'll be there early." And re-rolled the parchment._

            Rowena stuck out her leg and Lily tied the letter there, stroking Rowena again and offering her the mint that had been left on the pillow.  Rowena, with a hoot of thanks, soared out into the night sky.

***

            September the first dawned cloudy and gray.  No rain fell, however, and the very excited Lily (who had fallen asleep for a few hours despite her best efforts) awoke with the first hint of morning light.

            Her excited squeal woke Petunia, who glared at her venomously before putting a pillow over her head.  As Alanna came in to wake the girls five minutes later, this ploy didn't work too well.  Lily was already half-dressed by the time her mother appeared, and soon skipped down to breakfast with a grin on her face.

            Nothing could dislodge that grin all day.  Petunia glowered, pristine in her blue and white St. Mary's uniform.  Lily grinned.  Athena had conniptions being loaded into the taxi, Harold yelled loudly at the cab driver, who was accusing Lily of cruelty to animals, and Alanna looked as though she had a headache.  Lily just grinned.

            At King's Cross Station, the four of them stood around for nearly an hour before a harried Brenna and Molly showed up.  Lily hugged her parents, said good-bye, and walked over to them, just in time to see Molly disappear through a wall.  Lily blinked.

            "Hello, Lily-dear.  I'm ever so glad you aren't late," Brenna said cheerfully.  "Now, honey, just take your cart, and walk right on through the wall."

            Lily was sure she hadn't heard right.  "Pardon?" she asked, bewildered.

            "The wall," Brenna explained patiently.  "It's not really there.  Just walk right on through.  Close your eyes and run, if you're scared."

            Lily's chin came up.  "I'm not scared of _anything," she said defiantly._

            Brenna suppressed a smile, quite sure at that moment of Lily's house at school.  "Well, go on then.  The Hogwarts Express doesn't wait, you know."

            Lily nodded.  "Good-bye, Mrs. O'Malley.  Thank you for everything."  She turned towards her family, who was watching this exchange with interest.  "Bye, Mum.  Bye Dad.  I'll miss you."  Leaving Petunia out purposefully, she stepped forward resolutely.

            The wall that, by all reasonable laws of physics, she should have crashed into, instead chose to melt away, leaving her and her trunk on a platform quite unlike any she had ever seen.  She grinned foolishly, watching old friends say hello.  A girl with a long blonde braid was chasing a black kitten with a white paw, calling her to stop being silly, as big trains ate little kitties.  A few older kids were watching amusedly until one finally pointed his wand and floated the cat through the air, quite helpless, to her mistress.

            On the other end of the platform something was exploding in a rainbow flash of colors.  Riotous laughter and female shrieks could be heard.  A short, pudgy boy ran by, the halfhearted anger of an adult voice following him, telling him to not forget to do his Charms homework and for God's sake wear clean underwear.

            Lily laughed.  The laugh, however, turned into a shriek as she was hit painfully from behind and hurled onto the pavement.  She had been standing in front of the barrier too long, and someone else had entered the platform.  Lily hit her head and felt very dizzy as she heard a boy's voice saying "Oh no!  I'm sorry, I thought that-"

            Lily looked up, managing to condense death into a stare, and was met with the shocked stare of brown eyes behind round spectacles.  James, who had been running his hand through his very messy hair in nervousness, stopped immediately as a grin grew on his face.  "Oh, it's you, Carrots.  That's OK then."

            Then, he proceeded to ignore her as he walked off, cocky enough to levitate his trunk behind him.  His friend-Sirius, the slightly less horrid one-grinned apologetically before following James.  Lily was left, once again, on the ground with a terrible headache.

            She was all geared up to yell at him again when she felt gentle hands lifting her up and brushing off her pleated skirt.  "Are you all right?"  There was a trace of Scottish underneath obvious impeccable breeding of the soft voice.

            Lily looked up into what was probably the most striking face she had ever seen.  The girl's skin was white, nearly translucent in its pallor.  Her eyes, though, were huge and so dark brown they seemed black, framed by thick, velvety lashes.  Her hair, long, glossy, and black, hung in a shining curtain down her back and past the waist of her neat, ankle length skirt and simple white cardigan.  She seemed as though she belonged on a throne.  Her smile, though, was shy, there was an intelligent glint in her eyes, and kindness in her bearing.

            After gaping at this unexpected figure a minute, Lily smiled.  "I'm all right.  Thanks.  That pra-" she cut off, not sure whether the word "prat" was appropriate around someone who seemed like a princess.  She finally settled for "that _bad boy has bothered me before."_

            The girl laughed softly.  "I've known Sirius since I was very small.  If this bad boy of yours is a friend of his, I'm not at all surprised."  With an easy smile, she proffered a slim hand.  "My name is Abigail Gordon.  What's yours?"

            Lily smiled, relaxing a bit.  "Lily Evans.  Pleased to meet you."  They shook hands solemnly, then Lily burst out into giggles.  "I feel all grown up, suddenly."

            Abigail nodded.  "It's frightening.  Mother claims there isn't anything to be afraid of, but she's the one who _wanted to be in Slytherin."  Abigail sighed.  "I think the family house doesn't suit me in the least."_

            "You're only a first year?" Lily asked incredulously.  At Abigail's nod, her smile grew wider.  "Well, can we be friends then, Abby?"

            Abigail winced delicately.  "Abigail, _please.  My aunt has a dog named Abby.  It makes me feel uncomfortable.  If Mother had wanted a child named Abby, that is what she would have called me."  She smiled apologetically.  "But I __would like to be friends."_

            Lily nodded.  "Fair enough, Abigail.  Let's get our trunks onto the train, then.  You grew up in a wizarding family, I take it?"

            Abigail nodded again.

            "Well then, you can tell me all about it.  I'm Muggle-born myself, so I don't know a single thing…"

            Abigail nodded.  "Of course!"  Then, looking at Lily's things, she squealed.  "What a _ sweet little owl!"_

            "Her name's Athena," Lily told her new friend proudly.

            "My, then Athena will and I will need to become friends, I think."  Stroking her through the bars of the cage, Abigail then helped Lily haul her trunk into an empty compartment near the front.  They settled in, Abigail cooing at Athena the entire time.  Just as Lily had been about to get up and look around the train, though, plans changed.

            Just as they'd settled down, they heard a particularly loud shriek, followed by infectious laughter.  The door to their compartment then slid open, and the same girl Lily had seen chasing the cat earlier entered.  Now that Lily got a closer look at her, she realized that the honey-blonde hair was so curly it was probably gelled down rock-hard to stay in the braid, and that her eyes were the bright blue of a summer sky-and right now, they were dancing with badly suppressed laughter.  The strange girl put her finger to her lips and whispered "Shhhh," as loud footsteps echoed outside. 

            A furious male voice called "Charlotte!  Charlotte, if you don't get back here and undo this right _now_ I'm going to have your hide!"

            The girl winced, then grinned and dove under the seat where Abigail was sitting, followed by a black streak Lily supposed was the cat, concealing herself behind the long skirt and owl cage standing next to her.

            Lily didn't even get a chance to ask what in the name of God was going on when the compartment door slid open again, and a scowling boy looked in.  He would have been quite ordinary, except the fact that his hair was bright orange and he was scowling darkly from black eyes.  His nose was rather beaky, and Lily didn't quite like the look of him.

            Her thoughts were interrupted by Abigail's greeting the boy cordially.  "Good morning, Severus.  My, what an unusual hair color."

            Severus scowled more.  Finally, he managed to control his fury enough to reply, "Yes, thank you, Abigail.  Would you mind telling me if that little blonde monster has come in here?"

            Lily, seeing as Abigail was at a loss, quickly replied, "No, I'm sorry, there haven't been any monsters here yet."  There was a horrifyingly familiar shout of laughter from the hall.  "But apparently," she said, already seething, "one is just about to make an appearance."

            She glared at James, who had come into view, laughing uproariously at Severus' hair.  He saw her in the compartment and laughed only harder.  "Look... Sirius..." he said between loud guffaws.  "The… carrot-heads... unite!"  He then fell on the floor, holding his stomach, rolling around, and in general looking incredibly amused.

            _"Shut up!"_ Lily shouted.  She realized she seemed to have an echo, and found that Severus had shouted at the same time.

            Finding her voice, she spoke in a deadly calm whisper.  "Out.  All of you.  _Now._"

            Amazingly enough, something about the small Irish girl seemed to frighten them enough that Severus quickly closed the compartment door, though not before Lily saw him aiming his wand at James.

            She made a small, dissatisfied sort of sound and plopped on the floor by Abigail's legs.  "Come on out," she said, "and tell us what you've done before we decide to turn you over to them and save ourselves the trouble."

            The grinning blonde girl exited immediately, holding her black kitten and looking smug.  "Hello!" she said happily.  Her voice was bright, high-pitched, and incredibly cheerful.  Lily thought she caught a bit of a Belfast drawl in it.  "My name's Lottie-_not_ Charlotte-and I turned Sevvie's hair orange because he's a stupid git."  She smiled sunnily.  "I throw myself at the mercy of the court."

            And Abigail laughed.  "I haven't seen him that angry in years," she grinned.  "I commend you, _Charlotte_, but you know that your mother will be rather perturbed, don't you?"

            "Yes, _Abby_, I'm aware, thank you."  There was a moment of silence before the girls embraced and Lottie plopped down on the seat.  "I _have_ missed you, you know.  It hasn't been the same since you stopped visiting."

            "Oh, pish," Abigail said.  "All that happened when I visited was you telling me I was a wet blanket when you wanted to blow something or other up.  And then I had to step in and try and diffuse your mother's anger.  And _then_-"__

            Lily, smiling herself, looked at the two of them with a cocked eyebrow.  "I take it you two have met?"

            Lottie replied dryly.  "We're old friends.  If you can call this princess of manners a friend."  It was obvious she didn't mean it too seriously, though.  "I'm sorry, I was so excited to see her again I completely forgot... who are you?"

            Lily grinned back-she couldn't help it, this girl's cheer was infectious-and replied, "Lily Evans.  It seems I'm the only one that doesn't know anyone... _or_ any spells!  How is it that you're all cursing each other?  Aren't you a first year?"  Lottie certainly had to be, she was shorter even than Lily.

            "Live in the same neighborhood as Severus for a year and you have to learn.  For self-preservation, naturally," Lottie deadpanned.  "Besides," she said, "I did it wrong.  _All_ of him was supposed to be orange."

            "You're going to get yourself in trouble that way, you goose," Abigail sighed.  "Haven't you been hauled up before the Committee for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry already?"

            "Twice this year," Lottie said proudly.

            _"__Charlotte__!"_

            "It's nice having an uncle in the Ministry."

            "Getting away with everything isn't nice!  It's not healthy.  One day, you'll get yourself in trouble and no one will pull you out," Abigail pointed out grumpily.  "And _then_ where would you be?"

            "In Azkaban, probably," Lottie said comfortably.

            Abigail shook her head.  "I shall never understand you."

            Lottie nodded.  "That, I think, is the best sort of compliment."

            Lily, seeing they were done arguing, piped in.  "Hey, Lottie?  Could you teach me that spell to turn someone's hair orange?  I need to get revenge on someone..."

***

            James, meanwhile, was having a merry old time in the hallway, now that Severus had skulked off.  He and Sirius had taken to chasing each other around the train, yelling "Tag!  You're it!" in loud voices.

            Soon, a girl with short auburn hair and a brunette with a very upturned nose had joined the game, shrieking, flying in and out of compartments, and generally making things far more interesting.  A short, pudgy boy had also joined into the game, though he looked petrified any time someone tagged him and he had to chase the girls (as James and Sirius were far too fast to catch).

            This fine form of entertainment was brought to a close rather quickly when they began to send sparks at each other instead of tagging and an Oriental woman with sharp eyes and a frustrated expression came from the head of the train.  "I have been inform," she said in a thickly accented voice, "that first year are not allowed to duel in hallway."  She glared.  "And the noise gives other students the headache."

            "Erm… sorry…" James mumbled, trying to decide what to call her.  She didn't look much older than the oldest students, but…

            "You are to say, 'I apologize, Professor Mizuhara.  I never do again.'"

            "I apologize, professor… erm… miss-thingy…"  James trailed off in confusion.

            The teacher threw up her hands and let out a few obviously derogatory words in rapid Japanese.  "Never mind.  Baka student, they think they are Merlin…" and she walked off without another word.

            "Well," Sirius said finally, "at least you got out of the promise not to do it again."

            The girl with the turned-up nose giggled.  James grinned brightly.  "I did at that, didn't I?"  Everyone clapped politely, he bowed, and proceeded to go into his compartment to change into his robes.

            Sirius, however, got a glint in his eyes, pulled something out of his pocket, spit on it, and threw.  The boy he was aiming for seemed intelligent enough to duck, and the boy behind him-a stately looking blond fellow-swore loudly as the wet-start firework hit him in the forehead, catching his bangs.  It took him a moment to realize he was on fire before running off, screaming at the top of his lungs for someone to put it out.  Sirius smirked.  "Oops," he said, and, grinning in a way that wasn't in the least apologetic, he waved to the boy who had ducked and entered the compartment himself.

            Shortly, the boy stuck his head in, looking tired but unbelievably excited and happy.  James looked at him for a moment, assessing the inexpensive worn robes, shoulder-length sandy hair, and hopeful gray eyes, and decided he had potential.  "Hey," he said, moving aside from the door so he could enter.  "I'm James Potter.  Who're you?"

            The boy smiled and waved to the two of them.  "I'm Remus.  Remus Lupin," he said.  "I'm a first year."

            "Yeah?" James asked, pulling his robes out and on over his shorts and shirt.  "So're we."

            "I'm Sirius Black," Sirius offered a grin.

            "Never eat anything he gives you," James warned automatically, pulling at the hem of his robes so they settled better.  "Oh, and don't play him at Quidditch.  He cheats."

            "Do not!" Sirius said vehemently.  "I just _win."_

            Remus smirked.  "As he just attempted to blow me up, I'll be extra careful."

            Remus laughed, and James was sure he liked him now-the soft-spoken, intelligent voice wasn't stuck up, as many boys of James' social standing could be.  He preferred his friends simple, Sirius being the only real exception.  "Nice to meet you, Remus," he said honestly.  "So, tell me the truth-"

            "No, I will not hex you beyond recognition in your sleep," Remus replied promptly.  "Probably," he added.

            And Sirius threw his arm around Remus' shoulders with a wolfish grin.  "My kind of man.  Consider yourself in."

            "If you didn't try hexing us when we slept, he'd be disappointed," James put in.

            And Remus grinned widely.  "I just got myself mixed up with a bunch of troublemakers, didn't I?"

            "I'm insulted now," Sirius laughed.  "We're not 'a bunch of troublemakers'.  We are _the troublemakers."_

            "I see.  I suppose your battlecry is 'long live detention!'?"

            "You better believe it."

            "Oh boy."


	4. How to Earn Detention

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Four: How to Earn Detention

Hihi everybody!!!!  It's so exciting to finally have finished this chapter!  I was very distracted for a few days because of first "History Almost Repeats Itself" and then "Everything You Want", but I finally found time to put the finishing touches on this absolutely hilarious chapter.  Sirius is just as audacious as I imagined him, though while he was to be the original potty-mouth, that dubious honor has apparently switched to James.  On another note, Abigail skirts the line of Mary Sue, but I assure you, I meant her to be that way.  Also, Candy and Velvet make an appearance, both boy crazy and the second, at least, very stupid.  The girls meet Hagrid, and Sirius assures them he doesn't have rabies…

Disclaimer: I own many of the characters, but not the obvious Marauders, Lily, or Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore.  McGonagall's headache, however, belongs to her, and she can keep it…

This chapter dedicated to Janna, who will make all the boys in boot camp drown in their own drool.  I'll miss you, darling!

The train came to a stop just after darkness had fallen outside the windows. Lily was already deeply immersed in her _Standard Book of Spells, Grade One, and was learning, with Lottie's help, the basics of "self-defense". Abigail, who had very quickly become fed up with this, was reading silently from __Hogwarts, a History and, for all means and purposes, ignoring the other two girls as they turned Lottie's cat (whose name happened to be Splotch) all sorts of colors, for Lottie assured Lily that Splotch didn't mind and was, in fact, used to it._

Abigail looked up from her book to comment mildly that Lottie had to be _some witch to accustom a kitten to regular magic at four months of age. They argued halfheartedly until Lottie threw a folded robe from the top of Lily's trunk at Abigail, causing the other girl to relent and laugh._

Lily was having problems with the color orange. Red, yes, yellow, certainly, and almost any other color of the rainbow flawlessly. But when she tried for orange, the cat mewed in complaint and turned strange, splotchy greens, purples, and browns, and then Abigail sighed and pointed her wand from behind her book, turning the cat back with a muttered word. That was all the recognition the two girls on the floor got, however.

When the train slowed, Abigail carefully stowed her book away and smoothed the immaculate robes she had donned earlier in the day. "Come on, then. I'll help you clean up your mess, I suppose. But I won't do it _again."_

And Lottie smiled, sensing she had won the battle, and replied noncommittally, "Naturally not, darling."

The three girls rushed around the compartment, throwing things into trunks. Lily locked Athena's cage after the little owl had decided to "help" and flown around madly, causing more harm than good. Finally, things were cleared out, and the three girls were very glad to be able to leave things in the compartment to be carried up to their dormitories later. Lily, at the last moment, took pity on Athena and put her in the cowl of her cloak, following Lottie's example with Splotch.

They were some of the last people off the train, right behind a group of sixth years who were, according to Abigail, Slytherins. A few of them actually greeted her cordially. It seemed she was important, but she was coolly polite to all of them. It seemed she had not been playing around when she told Lily she wanted nothing to do with the family house.

Exiting the train, they heard a call of "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" and followed the deep voice until they stopped, Lily, at least, gaping widely, Lottie also looking mildly surprised, and Abigail looking (as she usually did) unruffled.

"Good evening, Hagrid," she said placidly. "How are you?"

And Hagrid looked, grinned, and offered half a bow. "Good evenin' to yeh as well, Miz Gordon. Yeh've grown." She smiled and nodded, and Hagrid turned to the students staring up at him in frightened awe. "All righ', then, firs' years, follow me." He set off in the opposite direction from the rest of the students, and the mystified first years followed.

"How do you know him?" Lily whispered to Abigail, beginning to understand that Abigail, while a first year, was certainly no First Year.

"Hm? Oh, Hagrid?" Abigail shrugged her shoulders delicately. "He made a delivery to Mother once, from Dumbledore. She was just going to send him on his way, but I caught him in the garden and offered him a cookie." She laughed. "At five, my sense of tact was lacking."

Lottie grinned.  "I think I liked you better before you learned tact."

"You'll be glad _someone has some, and some brains, when you get your first detention of the year," Abigail said primly.  "I wouldn't be surprised if you had one before the day was done."_

Lottie grinned conspiratorially at Lily.  "I'll bet I could manage that.  Wanna help, Lils?"

Lily laughed.  "No thanks, Lottie.  Detention isn't at all my thing."

Lottie made a face.  "Oh brilliant, I have _two wet blankets."_

Lily smiled innocently.  "That just means you'll have to corrupt us."

"Did I hear someone mention corruption?"  Lily turned around and frowned at Sirius, James' "evil lackey", as she had been calling him to herself.  "Oh come now, don't frown at me!" Sirius grinned.  "I don't bite _hard.  I don't even have rabies, so I swear you won't foam at the mouth…"_

"Very funny," Lily said, telling herself she would _not be amused.  "Now go away."_

"Actually, I _am pretty funny," Sirius responded, completely ignoring her second statement.  "A regular laugh riot.  I'll have you on the floor in stitches in five minutes.  More fun than a barrel of pixies.  Ask anybody."_

Abigail was smiling at him and Lottie was giggling.  Lily, however was not convinced.  "Your friend irritates me," she informed him.  "I figure you will too."

Sirius only grinned and bowed to her mockingly, stopping for a minute, the four of them creating a rock in the middle of the stream flow of students following Hagrid.  "I'm really not that bad.  I kiss babies and help old ladies across the street even if they don't want to go."  Lottie giggled harder.  "I brush my teeth once a month too, whether or not they need it.  My dog loves me!"  He grinned at the girls.  Even Lily was smiling now.  "Well," he added with a frown, "at least he says he does.  I'm not sure I trust him."

"Do wizarding dogs talk?" Lily whispered to Abigail under the sound of Lottie's laughter.

"No," Abigail replied, grinning.

Lily laughed.  "All right, all right.  Whatever you say.  You're not that bad."

Sirius, seeing that he'd won, grinned harder.  "Of course not!  I'm low in calories, vitamin-rich, need no batteries or subtitles… and I'm good for the environment!"

"Batteries?" Abigail asked, perfectly baffled.

"Subtitles?" echoed Lottie, equally confused.

Lily giggled.  "Muggle things.  They're… kind of complicated."  They had reached a huge lake now, and Hagrid was gesturing them into little boats, four at a time.

Sirius bowed to the girls again.  "Mum says I watch too much Muggle television," he confided to Lily.  "It's supposedly an outrage for a pure-blooded wizard.  She's afraid I'll turn into a Muggle at first opportunity."

"Television?" the two wizard-born girls chorused.

"Never mind," Lily said with a grin.  "Just… never mind."

The three of them got into a boat and were soon joined by a diminutive Asian girl who seemed unwilling to talk to them, except to say her name was Ke Wang and glare at Lily, who asked whether it was Japanese.

"Chinese," she said shortly, and from that moment said absolutely nothing.

"Short fuse," Lottie whispered.

"No kidding," Lily replied.  "Temper, temper."

Although they were whispering very quietly, Ke still glared venomously at them.  They were quiet the rest of the trip.

They arrived in the dungeon dock of the ships and quickly got out to stand, looking around.  Lily didn't much like it down here-it was too damp and cold and depressing and just a little foreboding.  Splotch mewed piteously from inside of Lottie's hood.

"All righ', follow me and don' get lost," Hagrid instructed, opening the doors and counting heads as the children went through.  Satisfied that he had the forty he had begun with, he headed across the hall and up the stairs into a wide corridor.  Opening another door, he ushered them into a small room.  "Professor McGonagall will be 'ere in jus' a minute to explain the Sorting to yeh," he announced.  "Stay 'ere and try an' not get in any trouble."

As soon as he left, Sirius got a conspiratorial gleam in his eye which made everyone move away from him except the equally-excited James and a resigned-looking Remus.  "You're going to do something we're going to regret, aren't you?" he asked mildly.

"Nonsense," Sirius said.  "I never regret anything."

"I think I'm hiding over here now," a mousy boy with tousled blond hair and a pudgy look about him skirted behind James.  "That way, whatever explodes won't do it all over me."

"Please, you don't give me enough credit," Sirius said.  "I can make it explode all over _everyone."  He raised his wand just as a tall, stern-looking witch entered the room._

"What, pray tell, are you doing?" she asked, glaring at the four boys in the center of the room.

Sirius looked back at her with guileless blue eyes.  "Attempting to make that vase over there explode, Professor," he said.

She nearly turned purple, as she seemed outraged by the audacity of his honest response.  "If I knew which house you would be in, I would give detention and take away points right now," she said finally.  "As it is the first day of school, I will let it slide."  She glared a moment more, then turned with a brisk, "Follow me, please."

"Bugger," James said.  "No detention."

"Next time," replied Sirius, ever the optimist.

"Idiots!" said Lily.

They entered a huge, long room then, filled with chatter and candlelight, and Lily was too busy gaping at everything to say anything more on the subject.  "Look at the ceiling," Lottie said with a hushed voice.

"That's amazing…" Lily agreed.

"It looks just like the sky outside," commented Abigail.  "Helpful if we want to know the weather at breakfast."

Lottie sighed.  "Practical and unphased.  Does nothing shock you?"

Abigail smiled smugly.  "No."

"Figures," said Lily.

Then the tall witch was moving aside, revealing a stool with a hat upon it.  The hat suddenly shuddered once, opened a rip that looked remarkably like a mouth, and began to sing.

"Singing hats," a girl behind Lily murmured.  "Now I've seen everything."

Lily grinned despite herself.  Its singing voice was a bit cracked and not entirely pleasant, but she was too entertained to pay it much mind.  Once the song finished, the witch spoke again.  "I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.  When I call your name, come up and put on the Sorting Hat.  It will tell you whether you belong in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.  Once you've been Sorted, join your housemates for dinner."  She picked up a list, peered at it a moment, and called out, "Allen, Candice."

The same auburn-haired girl James and Sirius had played with on the train walked up, pulling the hat over her dancing eyes.  It didn't take the hat very long to shout "GRYFFINDOR!"  One of the tables erupted into cheers, and Candice ran over to them as soon as she had taken the hat off.

A girl was sorted into Ravenclaw and a boy into Hufflepuff, and then McGonagall called, "Black, Sirius."

Sirius swaggered up to the stool, and McGonagall looked as though she were getting a headache.  The hat barely touched his head before it screamed "GRYFFINDOR!" and he stood.  Offering a mock bow to the Deputy Headmistress, who definitely looked displeased, he ran over to the cheering Gryffindor table. 

"Bulstrode, Xavier."  A tall, wide boy walked slowly towards the stool.  Lily heard someone whisper that he seemed to have ogre blood in him.

The hat was silent for a moment before announcing "SLYTHERIN!"  The table across the hall from Gryffindor erupted into cheers.

"Well, now we have all the houses represented," Lottie whispered cheerfully.  "Mum was in Ravenclaw.  She says I couldn't get in there if I tried.  Wonder where I'll go?"

Amelia Burke and Katharine Breslin were Sorted, and then McGonagall winced slightly before speaking.  "Caligo, Narcissa."

Narcissa was a very pretty girl with long, pale hair and an air of elegance to match Abigail's.  In fact, they seemed very alike to Lily, although one was dark and the other light.  There was a slight smirk on Narcissa's face, and the hat quickly decided in favor of Slytherin.  "She doesn't seem very nice," Lily murmured, more to herself than anything.

"She isn't," Abigail confirmed in low tones.

"Christianson, Charlotte!"

Lottie grinned, winked at Lily and Abigail for luck, and pranced up to the stool.  Her long curly hair had gotten loose of its braid somewhat, and the hat almost fit normally.  There was a moment of silence, then the hat joyfully shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and Lottie squealed, running over to the Gryffindor table to loud applause and wolf-whistles from Sirius.

Two more girls were called before Lily.  She nearly fainted, suddenly very nervous, when McGonagall said her name.  She walked up to the hat slowly and let it fall over her bright red face, for she had nearly tripped on the way up.  Suddenly, she heard a voice in her mind, and nearly jumped before realizing it was the hat talking.  "Well well, what do we have here?" it asked, very amused.  "I'd be tempted to put you in Slytherin on the spot… temper, temper… but unfortunately you're Muggle-born, so that's out…"  Lily silently thanked her parents for being Muggles, and the hat chuckled, obviously aware of the thoughts.  "Not a fan of Slytherin?  It's not all that bad, really, but in your case it had better be GRYFFINDOR!"  The last word was shouted for the room at large to hear, and Lily, suddenly feeling very relieved, got up to walk over to the Gryffindor table and plop down next to a widely grinning Lottie.

Abigail was Sorted next.  The hat took a very long time deciding what to do with her, but eventually placed her in Gryffindor, causing both Lottie and Lily to cheer and clap loudly.  David Gudgeon was the next into Gryffindor House.  Lily thought he looked rather stupid, but then again, she could have been imagining things.

After that, the ceremony stretched on.  There was nothing of note until a girl named Velvet Lindley was sorted into Gryffindor, followed by Remus Lupin, one of the boys Lily had noted hanging around James earlier.

The next to be Sorted was a very good-looking boy named Lucius Malfoy.  At least, he would have been good-looking if half of his bangs weren't missing and he hadn't been scowling.  The hat was barely on his head before it shouted "SLYTHERIN!" and he sauntered over to his table, looking for all the world like he was king of the school.

Lily daydreamed, wondering what James' surname could be, and trying to guess where the people she saw would be put by their names.  She guessed right when she and the hat both put Desdemona Muldoon into Slytherin, but made a mistake deciding Oksana Nikolayeva would be Slytherin as well-the tall girl with the short chestnut hair went straight to Ravenclaw.

The next to be made a Gryffindor was Peter Pettigrew, the pudgy boy that had hidden behind James and Sirius, which made Lily confused-weren't Gryffindors to be brave?  Still, the hat _had taken an awfully long time to decide.  Perhaps he was more brave than he was loyal, ambitious or smart.  In that case, Lily shuddered to think of his personality, though he seemed sweet enough as he slid into a seat next to Remus and grinned almost apologetically at Sirius._

"Potter, James."

Instantly, Lily was on alert, looking at the bespectacled boy and seething.  "Lils, you can't set him on fire unless you point your wand at him first," Lottie informed her.  "You might as well stop trying."

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.  Sirius, Remus and Peter cheered.  Lily scowled.

"I think he's cute," Candice admitted from across the table.

"You think so _now," Lily corrected._

"He is pretty cute," Velvet agreed.  She was sitting next to Candice, looking at her reflection in the golden plate, and glaring at, of all things, her cute, upturned nose.  "Some of the others are cuter, but he _is pretty cute, Candy."_

Candice, or Candy, grinned flirtatiously as James sat down between Sirius and Remus.  James pretended not to notice.

There were only a few of note after that.  The scowling boy who had had orange hair on the train was made a Slytherin.  Lottie hissed and booed at him, then complained to Abigail that she wished his hair hadn't changed back.  Ke, the Oriental girl from the boat, was made a Slytherin, to no great surprise of any of the girls.  James' little group nearly had a conniption over Patricia Wells, overpowering the cheers from the Ravenclaw table with their rather derogatory yells.  McGonagall glared helplessly.

The Sorting finished with Caroline Zott ("HUFFLEPUFF!") and the stool with the hat were carried away by an unpleasant man followed by a cat.

Then, the tall wizard with the snowy hair and beard and kind eyes behind his glimmering half-moon spectacles stood.  "Welcome, children," he said.  There was a silence as soon as he spoke-it seemed this was a man that commanded attention.  "Some of you are returning to acquire knowledge within these great walls which have stood for a thousand years.  Some of you are here for the first time, bright-eyed and ready to begin an existence in a new, wonderful world.  Whichever you may be, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry welcomes you."  He smiled, and Lily felt comfortable, suddenly. She decided she liked him.  "Before we eat, I have a few announcements.  First, a Whomping Willow has been planted on the grounds."  There was a groan from the direction of the Ravenclaw table.  "Yes, Mister Patil, I'm quite aware that it is a dangerous tree.  Please don't look at me as though I had grown horns.  I checked myself over for hexes this morning."  There was a ripple of laughter.  "As I said, a Whomping Willow has been planted on the grounds.  Those of you who do not know what it is, rest assured-it is highly dangerous, more so than even many of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest.  You are _not to go near it.  I hope, for once, one of my rules will stand the year."_

Down the table, Lily noticed Remus looking uncomfortable, slipping his finger into the collar of his robe as though to loosen it.

"Second, the Forbidden Forest is, as its name implies, forbidden.  We haven't lost a student in twenty years, but the last one came out quite mad and crying of Acromantulas.  Again, for your own good, please keep away."  Breaking the somber mood, he smiled.  "Finally, no magic is to be used in the corridors, no duels are to be held after hours, no one below third year is to go into Hogsmeade for _any reason, and the next couple caught in the Astronomy Tower will face a rather unpleasant punishment."  He beamed at everyone assembled before adding, "Welcome to Hogwarts.  May your time here be a productive, fascinating and new experience.  And on that note, let us have dinner before I blather on all evening."_

Lily looked down at the table, but somehow managed to miss the appearance of the food anyway.  Wondering where it had come from, she took a bite of potatoes, discovered they were excellent, and began to eat with great fervor, for she had been far too excited to eat breakfast and had neglected to remember lunch.

"Candy, I'm going to get fat here," Velvet whined.

Candy shrugged.  "Don't eat so much, then," was her suggestion.

Velvet took a second serving of chicken and glared at her friend.  "But it's _good."_

Candy shook her head and sighed.  "It's not my fault the food is good, Velvet.  It's no one's fault the food is good.  It's not even fault at all, really, since it's good and not bad, and it's actually-" She stopped, looked disgusted at her enormous run-on sentence that had made no sense, and grimaced.  "Never mind.  Just eat your dinner, Velvet."

"Okay," Velvet agreed instantly.

"Is that your real name, Velvet?" Lottie asked curiously.  "It's really pretty, but unusual."

"Her parents are proprietors of peace and love," Candy replied promptly.

"No they are _not," Velvet glared.  "They're __hippies."_

Candy grinned widely and Lily and Lottie giggled.  Abigail looked confused-obviously she was too sheltered to understand that these were synonymous.  "You're both Muggle-born too, then?" Lily asked, glad not to be the only one.

Candy shook her head.  "No, I'm half and half.  Dad's a wizard, Mum's a doctor.  We live in a Muggle town so Mum can work, though.  Velvet lives down the hall."

Velvet grinned. "I'm glad I got to come here.  My parents want to sell the flat and live under the stars, or something like that."

"They're a bit daft," Candy said comfortably.  "But we all love them anyway."  Everyone laughed, and Candy snuck a glance down the table.  "That James Potter character is cute," she said again.

"I tell you, he _isn't," Lily argued.  "He's rude and uncultured and… and… well, a git."  She didn't even think of her language in front of Abigail anymore._

"He's a cute git," Candy said promptly.

"Unlike Severus, who is an uncute git?" Abigail asked, amused.

"Precisely," Lottie replied.  "And anyway, Black is better looking."

"Agreed," said Velvet, now eating her third serving.  "Very nice."

Abigail and Lily grimaced at each other.  "It seems like we're the only ones who have escaped this particular disease," Lily said.  "Am I the only one who doesn't like boys?"

Abigail shrugged.  "Boys are no fun.  They're stupid and want nothing more than to fly around on their broomsticks all day, tossing a Quaffle at each other.  We're better off without them."  Still, she snuck the quickest of glances at Remus.

"Amen," Lily said promptly.  She hadn't grown up Catholic for nothing, after all.

"A what?" Abigail asked.

Lily sighed.  "Never mind.  Let's just eat."

Dinner was a noisy, fun affair.  Lily was sure dinners at St. Mary's, which promised to make a proper lady from any girl, weren't nearly this interesting.  The highlight of the evening was certainly Sirius waving his wand over his cup of pumpkin juice, saying words Remus was reading to him from a book he had pulled inside his robes.  No one at the staff table noticed.  Lily surreptitiously moved away.  Before anyone knew what he was about, the glass began spinning in midair, spraying everyone with juice.  Velvet actually dived under the table until a sour-faced professor ran over and stopped the goblet with a mutter and glared at the innocently grinning boys.

"Black!  Lupin!  Detention!" screeched Professor McGonagall.  Lily personally thought that without the pained look on her face, she would have been a very pretty woman, perhaps a little older than her mother.  "In all my years…" she muttered, sending a killing glance at the boys, who didn't seem at all upset.

"Hoorah!  Long live detention!" Sirius called.

"You weren't kidding, were you?" Remus asked, laughing.

"Damn, I didn't get one," James pouted.  "Neither did Peter."

"_Language, Mister Potter!" said the sour-faced professor.  He looked as though he wanted to hurt something.  Lily wondered what he was hanging around the table for, now that the explosions had been averted._

"Shit, professor, why not?" James said, beaming.

"Detention, Mister Potter," the professor replied icily.  "I'll see all three of you before class tomorrow morning in the dungeons."

He swept away, looking murderous as ever, and James grinned.  "Got one."

"Who's keeping track?" Remus asked mildly.

"Good idea!" Sirius said.  "Peter, want to do it?  We'll see who has the most before the end of school."

"Unless you're all expelled for being buffoons," Lily called primly from across the table.  "Monkeys have better manners."

"Shut it, Carrots," James glowered.  "We didn't ask you."

Lily looked at him, picked up the nearest plate, which happened to contain mashed potatoes, and hissed, "Do _not call me Carrots!" throwing it at James._

Peter caught it somehow, though all four boys were quite splattered with the contents anyway.  Sirius began laughing hysterically, and Lily smirked.

"Evans!  Detention!"

"Bugger," Lottie said.  "You got one before me."


	5. I Am Too a Girl

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Five: I Am Too a Girl

I'm back!  Sorry this took so long, but my poor computer was sick… *sigh* OK, so it's here now and you aren't allowed to hurt me!  Go and amuse yourself, for much hilarity abounds in this chapter, and we get to know Chiyako Mizuhara, better known as "Professor Miss-Thingy".  Remus gives some hints as to his lycanthropy, Lottie turns a kid into Prince Dimando (kind of) and Peter decides he hates Potions… Several things explode, and I begin keeping a detention tally purely to know who won by year seven.  Enjoy, and I promise there won't be such a long gap before the next one!

Disclaimer: I want Siri and Remmie.  But I can't have them, because I'm too big to sit on Santa's lap.

This chapter dedicated to my wonderful, beloved Andy-chan, who makes the perfect Draco to my Ginny and makes me feel all floaty inside ^_^.

Lily awoke at barely past dawn to wild giggles.  Looking up drowsily, she beheld three of the other four girls in her room crowded onto one bed.  Lottie was apparently occupied tickling Velvet awake.  Candy was laughing uncontrollably at the tortured look on her friend's face as she turned this way and that to escape.  The curtains around Abigail's bed were drawn on Lily's other side, and she realized quickly that she was next in line.  Seeing that, she jumped up as though burned just as Velvet began to whine, muttering groggily for her mum to let her sleep five more minutes.

            "Are we to be subjected to this every morning?" Lily asked curiously.  "Just wondering if I should get Abigail to teach me to charm the curtains closed."

            "She's awake!" Lottie cried.  "I don't get to tickle her now."

            "What a tragedy," Lily grimaced.

            "You could still tickle her anyway," Candy suggested.

            "You're loonies, all of you," Lily glared.  "I _could have slept in."_

            "No you couldn't," Lottie said.  "You've only an hour before you have to be in detention with that nasty Potions professor.  At least, I _think the prefect I asked told me he was the Potions professor.  I could be wrong."  Lottie smiled angelically.  "So, you see, I actually did you a huge favor by waking you up.  You'd have missed detention otherwise."_

            "Lovely," Lily sighed.  "I have detention on my first day of school."

            Lottie pouted.  "Yes, lucky you."

            Candy shuddered.  "I still don't agree with you on that.  Detention, ugh."

            Lily was already belting her dressing gown, looking forward to a warm shower to wake herself up.  "Well, at least I'm not the only sane one."

            "Sure," Lottie said cheerfully.  "Abby's afflicted with sanity, just like you."

            "The name is _Abigail," came the voice from behind the curtains, muffled by the thick velvet, "and you're a nutter."_

            To Candy's giggles and Lottie's frank "thank you," Lily locked herself in the bathroom.

            She emerged ten minutes later with her wet hair bound into two thick braids and scowl on her face.  "Why is my soap glowing?  I don't remember my soap glowing."

            "You didn't use it?" Lottie asked.  "Bugger.  I'll have to see if I can slip it to one of the boys.  That would probably be better anyway.  You might try and kill me in my sleep."

            Lily raised an eyebrow.  "You owe me a new bar of soap."

            Lottie sighed.  "All right, all right, I'll send away for one by owl."

            "Before you ask, you can't use my owl."  Abigail was now awake, pristine in a white nightgown, and an amused expression on her face.

            Lottie grimaced.  "You _know I don't have one."_

            Abigail grinned fit to match her.  "Yes," she agreed, "I do know.  You'll buy something cursed from Zonko's if you have your way.  Something that wasn't made by a schoolgirl, and therefore doesn't glow."  She turned to Lily.  "I have a spare bar until you find time to send Athena for one."

            Lottie patted Abigail on the head.  "You know, of course, you can't always interrupt my schemes."  With that, she disappeared into the bathroom.

            "Yes," Abigail sighed, "I know."

***

            Twenty minutes later, the five girls trooped out of the portrait hole and down the stairs for breakfast.  Velvet was whining, which Lily was coming to realize was to be a common occurrence.  "I was having such a nice dream!  I was playing on the Quidditch team, and all the boys liked me, and Sirius Black gave me flowers and told me he thought my nose was lovely!  And then-"

            Lily sighed and skillfully tuned her out.  She had done it often enough with Petunia, anyway.

            "I wonder what classes we'll have today?" wondered Abigail.

            "I wonder what kind of ghastly things you'll have to do in detention?" Lottie mused cheerfully.

            "I wonder if I'll survive the year in a room with you people," Lily grinned.

            Lottie feigned hurt.  "Oh come on, Lily!  After all… there's always next year."

            They had just reached the Great Hall and entered looking up at the ceiling which was brilliantly blue with autumn sunshine.  "I believe you just threatened my life, but since I'm hungry, I don't care," Lily announced, piling her plate with food and digging in with gusto.

            "Careful, Carrots.  You'll get fat."

            Lily raised her eyes and glared venomously at James, who was settling down across from her.  Her mouth being full of food, she couldn't retaliate, causing him to look exceedingly smug.

            "Now, children," Remus said, sitting to James' right, "don't fight.  The big nasty Potions master will give you detention… oh wait.  You already have one."

            "So do you," James smirked.

            "And it's all my fault," Sirius announced cheerfully, coming over, tailed by Peter, who appeared not to have taken a brush to his curly hair that morning.

            Everyone turned to Sirius and simultaneously came out with, "Yes, it _is."_

            Peter giggled in a high pitched voice that made him seem younger than eleven.  "Look, Siri, they love you."

            Sirius grinned, winked unabashedly at the girls, and then took to his food, eating so quickly it was a wonder the hand holding his fork wasn't a blur.  Lily nearly choked on her glass of milk at the pink tinge in Lottie's cheeks.

            Just then, Professor McGonagall came around with sheets of parchment which contained the class schedules.  She stopped at their end of the table, glaring for a moment as she handed them out.  "I trust those of you who have detention in the Potions dungeon this morning haven't forgotten and are thoroughly ashamed."

            James smiled his most charming smile at her.  "Of course we haven't _forgotten."_

            Peter grinned.  "I wrote it down."

            "As a tally," Remus added.

            The professor looked helpless, and finally settled on an expression of disapproval.  "You boys are looking forward to this?"

            "Oh, wildly," Sirius replied, grinning.

            Professor McGonagall made a strange sort of noise, threw her arms up in the air, and walked away.

            "_I'm not!" Lily called after her, face red._

            "Spoilsport," Sirius said.

            "Wet blanket," Remus laughed.

            "Um… party pooper!" Peter finally managed.

            James shrugged and settled for a simple "Idiot."

            Lily was hard pressed not to throw her plate at him again.

            Abigail patted her back.  "Relax, Lily.  The professor wasn't talking about you anyway."

            "Unless she's a boy in disguise," Lottie pointed out cheerfully.

            "Are you?" Velvet wanted to know, eyes wide.

            "I'll bet she is," James said, grin a mile wide.  "A scrawny boy.  Look at her."  He reached out and fingered the sleeve of her robes.

            "Don't look at me," Lily growled as levelly as she could manage.  "Don't touch me, and _don't call me a boy!"_

            "Gee, she's got a temper, huh Jamie?" Peter grinned guilelessly.

            "Like a brushfire," James replied promptly.  "It matches her hair."  Then he got up, tweaked one of her braids and, seeing that she was voiceless with rage, took the last word.  "See you in detention, Carrots."  The other boys followed him out of the room as he left.

            "Score one, the beautiful James Potter," Candy remarked, making as if to write it down.

            "Now Lily," Lottie said, placing a hand carefully on her arm, "don't get upset.  Because if you get a second detention before I've got my first one, I might have to never speak to you again, and that would be a shame."

            Lily shook her head.  "I don't understand you."

            Lottie grinned widely.  "I know.  Isn't it _fun?"_

***

            Some time later, Lily found herself looking for the right dungeon alone.  The others didn't have class for another hour and had had more time to eat, so Lily had the opportunity to wander around the dark, dank corridors, pretending she wasn't frightened.

            Naturally, the blame for this rested squarely on James Potter's head.

            Hearing voices, she turned a corner and entered a big room, where James, Sirius and Remus were lounging, obviously waiting for the Potions master to arrive.  Just as Lily was looking around, another door opened and the man that had given the majority of the detentions yesterday appeared, looking surly and not completely awake.

            "Creature of the night," a grinning Sirius whispered to Remus.  Remus didn't smile.

            "I see we are to be tormented with students with no respect for authority this year," the professor spoke, surveying the room.  "Hopefully, our… time together shall discourage your ridiculous antics.  I am Professor Macnair, and the next time one of you misbehaves, the punishment will not be so light."  He waved a wand and muttered _"Accio!" pointing at two big rags folded on his desk.  "Black, Potter, you are to wash the three cauldrons in there-" he pointed at a door and it creaked open.  Only one cauldron was visible, but that was nearly the size of James himself.  The children gaped._

            "Professor, we've only got an hour!" James protested.

            Professor Macnair shrugged.  "Then you shall come back after classes and finish.  Lupin, Evans, I've got a task for you in the supply room."  He sent a withering glance at James and Sirius.  "Well?  Get going!"

            The venom in his voice was such that they grabbed the rags and scrambled.

            Lily had a hard time not laughing at the outraged expressions on their faces while they did so.  In a feat of tremendous will, she kept her face perfectly serious and watched the professor with unwavering attention.  He scowled at them.  "Now, as you two seem to me to be slightly less likely to cause a disaster with my ingredients, you can come with me."  The two of them followed Professor Macnair through a door behind the gargantuan teacher's desk and into a room with shelves reaching up so high, they had to strain to see the top levels.   There was one little iron staircase that would probably allow a full-grown adult to reach halfway up the shelves.  "You two are to work in here… Evans, there are supplies for the first year students on the other side.  Make sure to separate the Wolfsbane from the Mandrake leaves carefully…"

            Remus turned as white as a sheet.

            "We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt," Professor Macnair finished, not looking at Remus at all.  "It can be dangerous, after all.  You'll know the difference because Wolfsbane leaves are narrower with sharper edges."

            Lily nodded.  "Yes, professor."

            "Now, Mister Lupin, on the tenth shelf, there are jars of fireflower pollen.  I was going to do it myself, but since you're here, you can take some of the work.  Here is a small sifter-there may be seeds in the jars, as they are freshly harvested.  Professor Mizuhara brought them back from Japan this summer, and no one has had a chance to go through them yet.  Put any seeds you do get into this empty jar, and label it."

            Remus nodded, unspeakably relieved.  "Yes, sir."

            "Get going, then, if you understand," the potions master advised.  "I'll come and get you before the start of your class."  He left, and the two of them got to work.

            "You got the hard task because I'm a girl," Lily said, carefully sorting the leaves as Remus tottered on the little ladder.  "I'm sorry."

            Remus gave a half-laugh.  "Oh no, really, it's quite all right.  I… rather like fireflowers.  I'm sure it's not because you're a girl at all."

            They worked in companionable silence before Remus chuckled softly.  "My elder sister would give me a tongue-lashing if she knew I was in detention on my first day of school."

            Lily laughed.  "You've got a sister?  So have I.  Do you like her?"

            Remus shrugged awkwardly as he came down the ladder with several large jars.  "Sometimes," he answered at length.  "Mostly Antonia thinks she's above me and doesn't talk to me much."

            "I despise mine," Lily said promptly.

            "Do you really?" Remus asked, grinning as he began on his task.

            "Intensely," Lily nodded.  Then, she proceeded to describe Petunia to Remus.  By the end of the hour, she felt she had made a friend.

***

            Potions class served to make at least three people fervently wish to go back to primary school.  One of these was Peter Pettigrew, who was rather desolate to begin with at having missed detention with his best friends.  True, James and Sirius winced whenever they had to touch anything and their hands were scrubbed raw, but in Peter's opinion, at least, he hadn't really proven that he belonged with them yet.  All he had really done was begun keeping a tally of detentions.  He was very aware that the space under his name was the only blank one.

            In Peter's experience, this was much like the rest of his life.  People outshone him at everything.  Just once, he would have liked to be good at something.  Instead, had it not been for James' quick thinking, he probably would have blown up the room.  Sirius had said it was a shame he didn't, and Professor Macnair with it, the malicious bastard.

            Severus Snape had proven himself to be a worthy adversary for James' talent in Potions.  The cauldron he shared with Lucius Malfoy had been ready far before anyone else's, and Professor Macnair had awarded ten points to Slytherin.  James had, naturally, been outraged.  Peter couldn't help but think that this was his fault for nearly killing them all.

            The coolly aloof Desdemona Muldoon had smirked and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "squib" under her breath as she worked at his other side.

            "Feel like a lark before Charms, Peter?" Sirius asked good-naturedly.  "We have half an hour.  Let's see if we can scare some Slytherins."

            Peter grinned.  "Will we get in trouble?"

            Sirius laughed.  "Most likely."

            "Lead the way."  Peter wanted to belong.  If detention would help that, so be it.

***

            Lottie was having the best day of her life.  She had made it through Potions somehow, with Abigail to her right and Lily to her left.  She was probably very lucky to get two good friends who worked so hard.  It meant that she didn't have to strive for the top grades, as decent ones would come to her naturally.  Listening to Lily and Abigail talk would probably be enough for that.

            It was funny.  Lottie had a tremendous ability to learn, as she was told again and again by those who wanted to motivate her.  She sent her mother into fits because she would be the top of her class, and simply chose not to.  It was hard to explain to a mother that expected so much that school simply was not fascinating.  Well, Lottie conceded, Hogwarts was.  She would probably make decent marks just by doing the things she thought would be interesting to try.

            Lottie liked something else much better than school and studying, though.  She liked the spotlight.  She had thought in childhood that she wanted to play professional Quidditch.  Due, however, to an incurable fear of heights that she refused to admit to, that idea had been trashed.  Instead, Lottie was looking at some sort of public relations post, one that preferably didn't require too much politics.  Lottie was sure she'd find her niche eventually, unless her luck deserted her, which wasn't likely.  She knew she was "the luckiest sodding little witch" there ever was, at least according to Severus, who she had grown up with but never befriended.  And throughout their childhood, he had been blamed for every single one of her pranks.

            It helped looking angelic, but really, Lottie was aware that her good luck was rather astounding.

            On her first day of school, she wasn't yet aware that the laws of irony reigned over the castle.  So, luck or no, she was likely to end up in the deep end before the end of the week.  Not that she would have minded precisely, but she was still rather surprised when her pet charm decided to go so horribly wrong on her.

            The Gryffindors shared Charms class with the Ravenclaws.  Abigail was sitting next to Lily, and Lottie was left with a nondescript Ravenclaw boy who was looking off into space.  He had rather lovely eyes so deeply blue that they appeared almost violet, but his overly long hair hid them most of the time and he really was unremarkable except for that.

            "We shall be practicing the wrist movement that will help you learn to charm objects today," the diminutive professor stated.  "Everyone take out your wands."

            There was a sound of rustling papers and people rifling through bags as the wands were produced.  Lottie spun her ebony and phoenix wand between her fingers and prepared to be bored.  Next to her, the Ravenclaw boy dropped his wand on the floor.  She rolled her eyes a little but, as it had rolled under her side of the desk, leaned over and picked it up, grinning at him.  He took it, looking rather bewildered.  "Slippery little buggers," Lottie said quietly.  "They run away altogether if you don't keep an eye on them, you know."

            He looked rather startled, but the Professor Flitwick began to speak and he began to pay attention.  Lottie began pretending to pay attention, a skill she had perfected years ago so that she could ignore her mother's incessant nagging.

            "Swish and flick," Flitwick said.  The students complied, some of them getting it quite wrong, others, James, Sirius, Lottie and Abigail among these, looking as though they had been doing this for years.  "Come on, then, again," the professor said merrily.  Lottie sighed and looked around for something innocent to play with.  There didn't seem to be any objects which would be much fun to charm, however.

            The boy dropped his wand again and scrambled under the table to get it.  Lottie grinned.

            The next time Flitwick asked them to swish and flick, she pointed her wand at the Ravenclaw and whispered "Capillus mutare russus," when prompted to perform the movement.  This changed hair to red, orange, or even pink, according to the caster's will and the capriciousness of the wand.

            Therefore Lottie was as shocked as the rest of the class when the boy squeaked slightly and his hair turned a pure, silver white.  As Lottie had certainly not misspoken, especially because "russus" and "nix" sounded nothing alike, she blinked at him, purely bewildered as he took a strand and brought it before his eyes, nearly crossing them in an attempt to see better.

            The professor, who had not been looking at them until just that moment, sighed.  "Who did it?" he enquired.

            Lottie, deciding to take credit for her crimes, mostly because Severus wasn't around to blame, raised her hand and said, "I did, Professor."

            At the same moment, the boy raised his hand and echoed, "I did, Professor."

            There was a silence.  "Miss Christianson?  Mister Gwyn?"

            The two of them stared at each other and Lottie cocked a brow.  The boy probably couldn't have cast the charm if he tried, but even so, it was rather nice to have someone stand up for her, whether she needed it or not.  The boy blushed and shrugged.  He nearly dropped his wand again.

            "Right then, does either of you know the counter-charm?" Professor Flitwick prompted.

            "I do, Professor," Lottie said quickly before the boy could try it and cause all his hair to fall out.

            "Carry on then, Miss Christianson.  I'm sure Mister Gwyn would love to have his natural color back, whoever did it."

            Lottie shrugged and waved her wand again.  "Capillus archetypus," she said clearly.

            The boy's hair stayed white.

            Flitwick raised an eyebrow.  "Five points to Gryffindor, Miss Christianson, for knowing the correct charm."  He looked at her shrewdly for a moment.  "Ten points from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw both for hiding the true culprit, and detention next Monday night.  Mister Gwyn, you may go to Madam Pomfrey after class and see if she can return you to normal."

            Lottie shrugged.  Detention wasn't so bad.

            The boy dropped his wand again.  She rolled her eyes quite visibly this time and made a show of giving it back to him.  "Listen, I'm sorry about what happened," she hissed as the class resumed, "but you really didn't have to stand up for me, you know."

            He only grinned.  "I'm Madoc," he said, the Welsh apparent in his voice.  "What's your name?"

            "Why, so you can write to your parents about the girl who maimed you?  Honestly."  Seeing as he wasn't responding, she shrugged.  "Lottie," she said.

            "Thanks, Lottie," he said with all seriousness, and returned to his lesson, not dropping his wand again for the remainder of the hour.

            Lottie couldn't decide quite what to make of him.

***

            Lunch came directly after Charms and the Gryffindor table was a noisy, boisterous one as always.  James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter seemed to be doing imitations ad nauseum of Desdemona Muldoon, the Slytherin who was nowhere to be seen, although Lily had heard from Abigail that she had been taken to the Infirmary in hysterics, convinced that there were spiders crawling underneath her robes.

            Lily, meanwhile, had propped Abigail's copy of _Hogwarts, a History_ between her plate and a pitcher of juice, and was reading as she steadily ate her meat pie.  Next to her, Velvet and Lottie were discussing Quidditch.  On her other side, Abigail seemed entranced with a conversation with a fourth year about the properties of Polyjuice Potion.

            "I wonder if it's true?" Lily mused.  "About the secret passages, I mean?  There can't be over a hundred, can there?"

            Across the table from her, a Prefect she had learned was named Robin Southwood smiled.  "Well, we've stumbled upon a few in our day… there's one in the fourth floor boys' toilets that lets out in the Restricted section of the library.  Only thing is, the door screams when you open it, so we don't really use that one."

            "Really?" Lily asked, fascinated.

            "Then there's the one that goes from the Charms corridor into the girl's toilet on the second floor.  No one ever uses that one either; that toilet is haunted and the ghost is awfully annoying.  Gina Deacon found that last year, and came out of the toilets crying, saying she was never, _ever_ going in there again, because Moaning Myrtle had managed to depress her.  Then again, Gina cries at the drop of a hat."

            Lily shook her head and laughed.

            At the other end of the table, James was laying out an elaborate plot.  "Now, I figure if we time it right, we can probably set it to explode right about during Defense Against the Dark Arts.  That's supposed to be the easy class anyway, so I figure we won't miss much if the classroom gets flooded."

            "I'm rather interested in the lesson, actually," Remus said reasonably.  "There are many things about the subject that fascinate me.  I'd really rather listen in class."

            "But what about-" Sirius began.

            "Herbology, then," James said decisively.  "Of course, we won't ruin anything that way, so the teacher might actually _thank_ us, but you never know."

            "Peter, did you mark your detention?"  Sirius asked.

            Peter grinned and nodded.  He would never admit that he hadn't wanted it-that he had simply tripped on the hem of his robes and not been able to hide fast enough when Desdemona shrieked for help.  But the others did look rather proud of him.  "Next Monday," he said, preening.  "And I'm not stuck with the Potions master, either."

            James grinned and ruffled his hair.  "Well see if you're lucky or not _after_ we meet the Defense teacher."

***

            The first thing they noticed about the large classroom where Defense Against the Dark Arts was to be taught was the tang of spicy incense in the air.  Shortly thereafter, their teacher entered, and Sirius sniggered.  "It's Professor Miss-Thingy," he told James with a grin.

            The teacher glared in their general direction, even though Sirius had spoken far too softly to be heard.

            "Poor Peter," James whispered.  "Poor, poor Peter."

            "Now, I know I have in my class many troublemaker," she began, sending a piercing glare at the boys.  "And my English is not yet perfect, but if you think this means I will not understand you when you say cruel things, you are making very big mistake.  You remember, and I never mention again."  She slapped her hand on the desk and looked them over sharply.  Then, her face transformed and she smiled brightly before bowing in a very formal fashion.  "Now I start.  Good afternoon, class.  I am Professor Mizuhara, and I shall teach you this year how to defend yourself against Dark witch and wizard who think it is entertaining to attack you.  You teach them and they walk away with broken bones, yes?"

            Most of the class laughed.  "Despite her English, I rather think I like her," Remus whispered.

            James had already started taking notes.  "Indeed," he said.

            She pointed to the small, slightly glowing but transparent jar on her desk.  "Now, first lesson.  Jar looks normal, like it cannot hurt you, right?"

            There was a murmur of agreement through the class.

            "Now, who can tell me why it is not safe to open?"

            Abigail's hand shot straight in the air.  The teacher smiled.  "Gordon?"

            "Look at the desk under it, professor," Abigail said.  "It looks like the wood is about ready to catch fire.  And it's making a faint humming noise.  Which means it isn't just an empty jar."

            "Very good," the professor nodded.  "A point to Gryffindor.  Jar contains oni, vengeful ogre spirit common in Japan, where I come from.  Most oni will not cause serious harm, but if released, will possess human nearest them and make trouble.  You know, play prank, break things, draw on walls with purple ink."  Most of the class giggled.  "When I was child, I blamed most mischief on oni or little sister.  Sometimes both."

            She waited for the laughter to die down before she spoke again.  "Lesson is easy.  Do not touch, or even think about touching item that might be magical.  If you cannot tell, do not touch.  Is easy at young age to think you can do anything, but if I release oni in this room, maybe only one of you can fight it, if you are lucky.  If not lucky, wander around and spend rest of life bewildered and in detention.  Die in St. Mungo's for insanity.  Is not much fun.  So, you listen hard and work hard, and I make sure you wake up in the morning without crazy urge to set other student on fire."  She glanced at Sirius.  "Except him.  For him, it comes natural."

            "Why thank you," Sirius said loudly.

            "Teacher's pet," Peter sniggered.

***

            No one was sure how it had happened, but Professor Mizuhara was a class favorite despite the fact that she was obviously going to be one to hand out detentions at the drop of a pin.  After all, it was she who walked the students to Herbology and informed Professor Beechwood that if anything strange were to go on in her classroom, to send the ones who looked the most innocent to her.

            Nothing blew up in Herbology that day.

            In fact, there was a week of relative peace.  The only real sensation was the fact that Madoc Gwyn was apparently to have silver hair for the rest of his natural life, for nothing anyone could do would change it.  It was whispered that he had Mermish blood and thus did not respond properly to magic.  No one was really sure what had happened, only that Madoc, who had been rather nondescript, now stood out above and beyond every other member of the first year student body.  Furthermore, he seemed to have developed quite the fixation on Lottie.  Some of the boys said it was because he was looking to get her alone in a dark corridor to kill her.  Most of the girls held the opinion that he did indeed want to get her alone in a dark corridor, but for entirely different reasons.

            Lottie thought this was all rubbish and instead concentrated on conning Abigail into studying Potions with her and attempting (and failing time and again) to beat Remus at chess.

            "Do you know," she mused one day while contemplating where to move her rook, "you're rather too sane for the rest of them."  She set the rook down and moved a pawn instead.

            Remus laughed and made a clever move with his knight.  "Check," he warned her.  "I'm not too sane for the rest of them.  I just know how not to get caught."

            Lottie used a castle to cover her king and glanced over to the spot by the fire where the other three boys were boisterously playing Exploding Snap.  "They know," she disagreed.  "At least, Sirius and James do.  I'm not so sure about Peter."

            "Check," Remus said, taking the castle with his queen.  "All right, true enough.  They know.  They just don't care."

            Lottie laughed and made a last ditch attempt to protect her king with her one remaining knight.  "True enough," she conceded.  "You win."

            Remus smiled.  "Indeed.  Checkmate."

            "I should turn you into a beetle," Lottie proclaimed.  "Then you wouldn't beat me at chess all the time."

            "Then he would bite you instead," Sirius called from over by the fire.  "Incessantly."

            "Lottie, come over here and look at this Astronomy homework," Lily's disgruntled voice called from the other end of the room.  "Does it make any sense to _you?"_

            "It's peaceful," Davey Gudgeon remarked to Abigail as she explained his Transfiguration homework to him for the fourth time.  "It's far too peaceful."

            "Bit scary, isn't it?" Abigail said.  "Don't worry.  I'm sure they'll blow something up in no time."

            "That's what I'm afraid of," Davey winced.  "That something might be me."

            Acknowledging the truth of this statement with a nod of her lovely head, Abigail started again on the finer points of turning toothpicks into needles.  Davey sighed and listened, trying to pay attention to the complex assignment.

            The Exploding Snap exploded and loud, rollicking laughter, along with a "Siri, you idiot, that's the _rug you've set on fire!"_

            All in all, life in Gryffindor was tranquil.


	6. Lessons, Detention, and Mild Acrophobia

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Six: Lessons, Detention, and Mild Acrophobia

*waves madly*  It's here!  It's done!  People have all been harassing me for this story so… here it is!  This chapter packs a wallop in terms of hilarity… and original characters.  There are enough of the latter to confuse anyone, so I will be uploading a "special" which will list and categorize the many, many original characters in this chapter and the ones before, in hopes that you will indeed begin to make some sense of it all.  And I swear, there will be more of the Hufflepuffs in future chapters than people falling off brooms.  I just didn't have the timing here to stick in a Hufflepuff scene.  You'll get one.  Soon.  Really.

Disclaimer: You might notice I wasn't in the credits for the Harry Potter movie.  One might suppose that the person listed as the author, J.K. Rowling, wrote Harry Potter, wouldn't you agree?

This chapter is dedicated to the awesomely cool Red Feather, because it's about time your character made an impression, wouldn't you say?

It was eleven o'clock on the fourth of October, and four Gryffindor boys were serving detention in the trophy room.  "You'd think they'd be more creative," Sirius grumbled as he polished Tom Riddle's Award for Special Services to the School.  "I've had to do this already!"

            "You've had ten detentions to date, Sirius," Peter said.  His voice reverberated from inside the giant trophy he had had to partly climb into to get to the bottom.  "Of course McGonagall's bound to get frustrated."

            "It's still better than sorting Potions ingredients," James said.  "Which is still better than washing cauldrons.  And we've _all done that at least twice."_

            "That's because Professor Macnair likes nothing better than torturing Gryffindors," Remus pointed out, pouring more polish onto a rag.  "And he gives the most detentions."

            "No he doesn't," Sirius disagreed.  "Professor Mizuhara does.  Eyes like a hawk, that woman."

            Remus shrugged.  "Well, but we _like Professor Mizuhara.  Her detentions are creative.  Although that pixie hunt was insane.  And pointless."_

            James laughed.  "True enough.  But I like when she sent Peter and me fishing at the lake for grindylows.  That was _fun."_

            "Except when I got a sunburn," Peter said, his upper body still inside the trophy.  "Then she just laughed at me.  Excessively."

            "Big words, Peter.  Have you been hanging around Carrots and friends again?" James said.

            Peter bumped his head loudly on the inside of the trophy, whimpered, and came out, blushing.  "If you _must know, Abigail helped me with Charms last night.  That's all!"_

            "Consorting with the enemy," James grimaced.  "Whatever shall we do with you, Petey?"

            "We _could dress him as a clown, give him a tambourine, and stand him outside the Slytherin common," was Sirius' suggestion._

            "But Sirius, we're _already in detention," Remus pointed out._

            "And why do I have to be the clown?" Peter asked.  "Why can't Remus be the clown?  Or James?"

            "Remus is too dignified, and clowns don't wear glasses," James promptly replied.  "Besides, your curly hair is just so _cute."_

            Peter sighed.  "Oh, I give up."

***

            "Therefore, when you attempt to repot a mandrake, you must find some way to keep yourself from hearing its cry, as..." Abigail glared.  "Are you two even listening to me?"

            "Mandrake.  Loud.  Ouch," Lottie said promptly, contemplating her next move.  "Bishop to E-five."

            Candy made a face.  "You're better at this than I am.  Knight to… B-4."

            "I give up," Abigail said, closing her Herbology text with a snap.  "Next time you want to ignore me when I try to help, please inform me of this so that I don't bother at all."

            "Oh come on, Abby!  We were listening!" Candy said.

            "Mostly," Lottie amended.  "Sometimes we were thinking."

            "My name isn't Abby!" Abigail glared.  "For Merlin's sake!  You're really-"

            "Abby is faster to say," Candy said reasonably.  "I don't go around telling people to call me Candice, do I?"  
            "Well, Candy doesn't sound dreadful," Abigail said.

            "Neither does Abby," Lottie countered.

            "You're just bent on annoying me, that's all," Abigail said primly.

            "Probably," Lottie said agreeably.  "Queen to C-two.  Checkmate."

            "I give up," Candy said.  "I'm going to go find Velvet now.  Practice makes perfect."

            "Not with her, it doesn't," Lottie murmured.  "Playing chess takes a bit more than she's got, in the brains department."

            "Don't be snippy," Candy said.  "Besides, I meant to practice the Braiding Charm.  Play chess with Velvet?  Are you mad?"  To many giggles, she left the room.

            "I need some intelligent conversation," Abigail said.

            "Well _I need someone who can play chess!" Lottie grumbled._

            "To both your inquiries, I reply that Remus is in detention," Lily mumbled from behind her Potions textbook.

            "For a change," Davey Gudgeon said from where he was stretched out in front of the fire, playing Exploding Snap with second-years Maureen Abbott and Cory Thurgood.  "At least when they're there, they can't be _here attempting to murder me."_

            "Oh come now, your nose grew back, didn't it?" Lottie said good-naturedly, pulling her knees up and resting her chin on them.

            "You aren't supposed to defend them, you great idiot," Lily said, and turned the page.  "This Swelling Solution, incidentally, is nowhere near as difficult as you're making it out to be.  I reckon you just forgot the lacewing flies."

            "Oops.  Knew I forgot something," was Lottie's cheerful comment.  "That's all right.  I gave Lucius Malfoy red spots for an hour.  It was worth the failing mark."

            "Your set of values astounds even me," Abigail shook her head.

            "Quiet, you," Lottie said.  "You ought to be in Ravenclaw, anyway."

            "No I oughtn't," Abigail replied promptly.  "I look awful in blue."

            The portrait hole opened, and third years began to stream in from their Astronomy lesson.  "Did you know," Gina Deacon said, "there's a clown playing a tambourine outside the Slytherin common room.  It looks remarkably like Peter Pettigrew.  It scared Peeves into hysterics."

            "They were _supposed to be serving detention," Lily grumbled.  "Stupid prats."_

            But everyone else in the room was laughing.

***

            "Madoc, are you going to eat _anything today?"  Katharine Breslin waved a worried hand in front of her friend's unblinking eyes.  "At all?"_

            "Ignore him," Patricia Wells suggested.  "He's staring at the Gryffindor bint again."

            "How is she a bint, Tricia?" Angela Avila asked.  "That's not a very nice thing to call someone."

            "She is friends with Sirius Black," Patricia said, brushing her short blonde hair out of her eyes.  "Accordingly, she is a bint."

            "Are you still sore that he put Drooble's Best Blowing Gum in your hair?" Gene Randall asked with a laugh, stuffing himself with kippers.  "It looks better short, anyway."

            "Of course I'm sore!" Patricia glared.  "It took two hours to get me off the ceiling!"

            "I thought it was rather funny," Oksana Nikolayeva said from across the table in her strongly accented voice, absently running her hand over her long chestnut-brown braid.

            "You would," Patricia said.

            "Oh, Katharine, I'm sorry, did you say something?" Madoc suddenly asked.  "I wasn't paying attention."

            "He's sunk," Keenan Harrison agreed.  "Hopeless."

            "Lovesick," the quiet Jane Graystone remarked from the other end of the table.  "And they call us the _smart ones.  Pass the kippers, Gene."_

***

            "We've got flying lessons today!" Velvet announced cheerfully as she came down to breakfast the next day.  "Incidentally, Lottie, that Ravenclaw is staring at you again."

            Lottie looked down into her plate, which was nearly empty.  "I think I'm going to be sick," she finally said, in a voice that was suddenly very breathy.  "Really sick.  I think I'd better go and-"

            "You were fine until you saw the schedule for today," Abigail pointed out.  "Have some bacon, it's quite nice."

            Lottie glared up at her through the cloud of curly hair she had not bothered to tame that morning.  "Yes," she said, "but _now I'm going to be sick!"_

            "Are you scared of flying, Lottie?" Candy asked curiously.  "It's really not that bad.  I'm rather looking forward to it."

            "I can't wait!" Velvet said cheerfully.  "Candy's dad _never let us near his broomstick at home!"_

            Lily, rushing in a little late and plopping down, put an arm around Lottie.  "Lottie, are you all right?  You didn't try to… to turn me green or… tickle me to death or… or anything this morning!  And you aren't eating!"

            "She's scared of flying," Abigail said promptly.

            Lottie glared some more.  "I am _not."_

            "Then what _are you scared of?"  Abigail prompted._

            "I am _not scared!" Lottie shouted.  "I simply don't feel well!"  With that, she stood and stomped out of the Great Hall and up the stairs._

            "Well, then," Lily said.  "That was… something.  Pass the bacon, please, Gina."

            The third year looked at the first year girls rather oddly as she handed Lily the plate.  "You act as though nothing out of the ordinary has happened.  You can't tell me she's _always like that?"_

            "She is," Lily, Abigail, and Velvet said at once.

Candy sniggered. "Except when she's worse."

Breakfast being more or less finished, the first years trooped down the halls and outdoors into the chilly October morning.   Lily sniffed appreciatively at the clean crisp air of autumn.  "You think they'll let us play a practice game if we show them how good we are?" James asked Sirius.

Lily rolled her eyes behind them.  "Honestly, if your heads got any bigger, they'd explode!" she said.  "We're only first years!"

James turned and walked backwards, grinning cockily at her.  "Ah, yes, but see, unlike you, Carrots, _some of us already __know how to fly."_

"I hope you fall of your broom and break your big head open, Potter," Lily grumbled.  "It'd save us all a heap-load of trouble."

"You insult me, Carrots!" James said huffily.  "I've never fallen off my broom!"

"At least, not since he was about six and only just learning," Sirius said.  "Oh, and when I knock him off.  He falls then, too."

"Shut it, Sirius," James said, reddening a bit as the girls behind him burst into laughter.  "You'll make me look bad!"

"Nothing could make you look worse than you already do," Lily said staunchly.  "Besides, if you don't fall off your broom, the least I can do is beat you about the head with mine until you fall unconscious."

"What a violent bunch you all are," drawled a haughtily amused female voice.  They turned to behold a short, dark-haired girl in Slytherin colors, walking a bit apart from the rest of her number.  "I'd say you belonged with us, but then, you just don't have the class, do you?"

Abigail turned and looked her over slowly.  Lily was shocked to notice a strong family resemblance, though the Slytherin wasn't nearly as pretty.  "Do us all a favor and go crawl back under your rock, Amanda," she said softly.

Amanda's eyes widened.  "Why _cousin, I'd forgotten you had deserted us!  I'd curtsy, you know, but you aren't the perfect little princess any longer, are you?  Gryffindor.  Honestly.  Poor Aunt Keaira is probably having conniptions right now."_

"One doesn't choose where one belongs," Abigail said just as softly.  "Furthermore, I would entreat you not to speak of my mother, conniptions or not.  I can deal with my own family, thank you.  Why don't you go back to your own house, as mine is so distasteful?  Or have you discovered that _your mother has affianced you to Xavier Bulstrode?  Pity, I'd hide too."  They reached the brooms, and Abigail took a spot between Lily and Candy._

Amanda glared.  "I shan't marry Xavier, and at least I'll dare show my face at home when the year is over."  She turned and went to a broom as far away from the Gryffindor girls as she could manage.

"That was pleasant," Candy muttered.

"She's just sore because she knows they won't let her play Quidditch in Slytherin," Abigail said, forcing a sunny smile.  "Well, that and the fact that she really is engaged to that troll.  Aunt Tierney has very interesting taste.  Either that, or she secretly hates Amanda."

The other girls giggled as the teacher, a young and capable looking woman with flyaway hair left the castle and looked around, flicking out a roll sheet.  "Right then.  You're to call me Madam Hooch, I suppose, as I don't merit a 'Professor'," she said, looking around.  "Have I got all… no, wait.  Where is Miss Christianson?"

"Sick," Lily said with a straight face.

Madam Hooch grimaced.  "In other words she ran upstairs to Madam Pomfrey because she was terrified at the idea of getting on a broomstick."

"Well… yes," Abigail said, biting back the laugh.

"Professor Carr informed me that we have one every year," Madam Hooch waved it off.  "Mild acrophobia.  They'll make her fly eventually if they have to toss her out of the Infirmary window with a broomstick."  Everyone laughed.  "Right, well, I'm a replacement this year, as you well know… Madam Carr was injured this summer and I was on the reserve list for the Magpies anyway, so I will be filling two positions until your actual teacher recovers."  She swept the students with a piercing, frighteningly feline gaze.  "I haven't the slightest idea of how to teach children, but I have a very good idea of discipline, therefore, if you do not put that broom down this very moment, Mister Potter, I shall send you to detention, and you shan't fly at all."

James put his broom down with a guilty look and Lily smirked at him.  The challenge was clear in her gaze.

"All right, everyone extend their right hand over their broom and say 'up'," Madam Hooch said.

"Up," Lily said accordingly.  The, broom, however, was obviously not feeling very cooperative and stayed firmly on the ground.  "Up!  _Up!  UP!"  This didn't seem to do much good._

"Problems, Carrots?"  James called, his eyes laughing.  He was holding his broom confidently, as was Sirius.  Remus and Peter seemed to be having a bit of a problem, but to Lily's other side Velvet had gotten it immediately as well.  Candy's broom flew into her hands after her fourth frustrated call, and across the two rows of children all levels of achievement were apparent, though Abigail was apparently quite content to let her broom lie on the ground and Amanda down the row was smirking with her broom held fast in her hands.  Lily was too preoccupied shouting at her broomstick to shout at James as well.

"Oh dear," Madam Hooch said with a grimace.  Walking down the middle of the two rows she slowly helped each student until all of them were holding their brooms properly.  "Now, I suppose I should be prudent and tell you to hover but I've never been very good at prudence.  So, instead, experiment.  I'll make sure no one gets hurt.  We hope."

James and Sirius cheered and took off right away, as did a few others.  Lily tried, found she could barely hover, and glared up at James, who was playing tag with Sirius and a shakily flying Remus as though this was his fault.

By and large, this was chaos.  Some of the students had obviously been flying since a very young age, while others hadn't ever flown at all.  Lily and Abigail both stayed with feet planted firmly on the ground after a few weak attempts.  There was, however, one shock.  "Would you look at _that?" Lily said, pointing up.  In the sky, Velvet was cheerfully executing loops and twirls of a highly complicated nature, swooping in between the boys and by all standards having a marvelous time.  "I guess she's a… whatsit… idiot savant," Lily finally managed._

"She's ruddy brilliant," was the opinion of a Ravenclaw boy next to her.

Someone fell from their broom, shrieking.  A Hufflepuff boy.  Madam Hooch sighed.  "To the ground, all of you!"  Under her breath, she muttered, "I suppose I had better stick with hovering in the future after all."  She walked over to the Hufflepuff boy, looked down, and sighed again, digging up her roll sheet.  "Miss… Burke, could you take Mister Welch to the Infirmary, please?  And tell Madam Pomfrey to let Miss Christianson off.  Just for today."  The pigtailed Hufflepuff girl nodded and she and the teacher helped the limping boy stand.  "I'm beginning to _see why first years don't play Quidditch," Madam Hooch grimaced as the two limped slowly away.  "Right then, we start again.  This time," she sighed, "you hover.  No faces, Mister Black.  You lot as a whole would tear up the Quidditch pitch if I let you loose right now.  And not in a good way."_

"Spoilsport," Candy said, sighing.  "I was just getting the hang of this."

"Thank Merlin," Abigail said.

"Thank _God," Lily said._

"That was fun!" Velvet grinned.  "I hope I get to do it again."

"Surprises," Lily shook her head.  "Life's full of them."

"Can't fly, can you Carrots?" James grinned.  "So much for all that loud talk."

Lily, however, gathered her wits about her and pointedly ignored him.  She was learning.

***

            The Slytherin common room was a rather dismal place, at least according to Amanda Layton.  Not that she would ever dare say anything about it to anyone, but she did wish there was a bit more light and a bit less feeling that water or something even worse would drip onto her head from the low stone ceiling.

            The only well-lit place in the room was the armchair near the fire with a low table holding a candelabra standing to its right.  This place, however, had been claimed by the quiet and regal Narcissa Caligo on the very first night, and she sat there, textbooks spread around her, studying quietly, every time anyone bothered to look.  Amanda, while she did harbor rather a fondness for reading, wouldn't have dared say anything to Narcissa or take the spot that was being recognized as "hers", though.  After all, there was a certain place for everyone in the grand scheme of things, and Narcissa was certainly right at the top of the chain, however one looked at it.  She was the society princess in much the same way Abigail had been, and while thoughts of Abigail rankled Amanda, she did have to admit that both girls had an unearthly and queenly sort of demeanor that set them apart.   Abigail, however, seemed to have given up her place in society without the least bit of a qualm.  Gryffindor.  _Honestly._

            It was all very well when one was Narcissa Caligo, betrothed to the coolly handsome Lucius Malfoy from the tender age of five.  Narcissa, being accomplished, beautiful, and intelligent (this last being certainly the most unnecessary in the mind of most Slytherin males) had slid into the mold of the Slytherin princess without even a murmur from any of the other, older, Slytherin girls.  Yes, it was all very well when one was Narcissa Caligo, but when one was Amanda Layton, engaged to a troll (she wondered at her mother's eyesight sometimes), plain, betrayed by her own blood (in the form of Abigail), and dismal at Potions, the one subject all Slytherins were simply _expected to excel at, then life wasn't all roses and sunshine.  As it was, Professor Macnair was letting her scrape by simply because she was in his house.  Which, of course, all amounted to one thing, and that was that life simply wasn't fair._

            While Amanda sat and stewed in one corner, the Slytherin Quidditch team conferred in another.  The team was comprised mostly of tall, burly boys with barely enough brains to fill a thimble, excluding the lanky captain and Seeker, fourth year Orrin Avery, whose strategy at this point consisted, it seemed of "bash them until they can't play any longer".  This sentence, incidentally, didn't seem to be solely aimed at Edan Crabbe and Rockny "Rock" Goyle, the second year Beaters who, by their sheer size, quite eclipsed the rest of the team.  This, of course, served to anger Amanda even further.  She was good-she _knew­ she was good-but girls didn't play Quidditch, and that's all there was to it._

It didn't help matters in the least that there were currently two girls on the Gryffindor team, one the captain, and Abigail the Perfect could have played if she wished.  The fact that Abigail was a proper female of the first order and would have nothing to do with brooms when she might as well, her reputation ruined by her placement anyway, stung even more.  Amanda Layton wasn't at _all a happy girl._

Across the near-silent room, Narcissa Caligo attempted to concentrate on her Charms theory.  She was really rather frustrated, as for the past half hour, Severus Snape had found it amusing to sporadically charm the flames of the candles in her candelabra into going out.  Had it been anyone else, she would probably have stood and silently glared at them.  Narcissa had found early on that people feared her, Merlin knew why, and her silence was interpreted as haughtiness, her rigidity as anger.  Accordingly, she could have glared, but this was Severus, a close friend of Lucius, and if there was one thing Deanna Caligo had taught her only child, it was not to upset her superiors.

Lucius Malfoy owned her.  Had owned her, really, since she had been far too young to understand what it entailed.  Therefore, he was her superior, and if his friend wanted to spoil her studying, then that was exactly what he would do.  She absently brushed a long strand of her fine, pale blonde hair behind her ear and turned the page.  She wished to be somewhere-anywhere-with more light.

"Stop that, Severus," Veronica Clarke said softly, stopping by the chair-back of the very amused, dark-haired boy.

"Why?"  Severus turned a challenging gaze up at the pale, long-faced girl, who was currently looking down at him over a nose far too long even for her face with mild annoyance.

"Oh, cut the crap, beak-nose," she snarled.  "That's _Narcissa!  Let her study!"_

"You should talk," Severus muttered, glaring at her through hooded eyes.  "What is it with everyone and her, anyway?"

"_You may have grown up around Gryffindor harridans, Severus, but __some of us recognize a lady of good breeding," Desdemona Muldoon said from where she had stopped at his other side.  She pushed her luxurious dark hair back and her perfectly sculpted little mouth smirked.  "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you fancy her, you know."_

"I don't either!" Severus said, instantly riled up.  Veronica giggled slightly, for he had clearly forgotten to annoy Narcissa, whose rigid posture was relaxing as the moments ticked by and her candles remained burning.

"Lucius wouldn't like you to be harassing his fiancée," Desdemona said haughtily.  "Find someone else to bother.  Like the outcast in the corner."  All three of them sent veiled glances in the direction of Amanda, who was staring into space with a displeased expression on her face.

"Please, you think I'd be a little more creative," Severus spat.  "You two torment her enough without my help.  I think I'll go find Ian and ask if he wants to play chess."  

With that, Severus stalked out of the room and down the stairs to the dormitories, "Rather like a bat," as Desdemona remarked, and peace was restored.  As the two Slytherin girls adoringly watched their idol work, Narcissa sighed to herself and wished to be anywhere else at all.

***

            The Hogwarts library was full of students of all ages who were, as it so rarely seemed to be anymore, causing no trouble whatsoever.  Even James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter sat at a table by a window, books open before them, and were all working quietly, despite the frequent glares in their direction by Madam Pince, the librarian with the pinched face and the hushed voice.

            "Do you have the rest of the properties of the flobberworm?" Peter asked Remus.  "I think I might be missing one."

            "Highly boring.  Do absolutely nothing," Sirius grinned.  "There are more interesting potions you could have chosen to write about, Peter."

            "Yes, but this one was _easy," Peter said._

            "Then it isn't our problem that you can't get the required length, is it?" James said cockily.  His tongue was caught between his teeth as he carefully measured the length of his own essay.  "Shit.  It's too long again," he grimaced.

            "Language, Potter!" Remus growled in a perfect imitation of Professor Macnair.  

James sniggered.  "That man will be the death of me yet," he proclaimed.

"Or you of him," Peter said.

"Whichever comes first," Sirius sniggered.  "Me, my money's on you, Jamie-boy.  Macnair seems to have a rather weak heart after that incident with the fireworks last class-"

"If you recall, no one proved that that was us," James cut him off neatly.  He looked at his essay.  "I think I'm going to have to shrink this blasted thing again.  I didn't write everything I wanted yet!"

"In his own way, he's as much of an academic holy terror as Lily and Abigail," Peter murmured.

"Kindly do not compare me with the carrot-head, Peter.  You're _supposed to be my friend."  He looked at his essay and winced.  "Damn it all!  Any smaller and he won't be able to read it!  Do you think he'll accept it if it's a couple inches over?"_

Remus looked smug.  "Academic elitist," he said.

"Oh, shut it," Sirius said.  "Your essay's too long too, you know."

"Oh, come on," Remus said, looking a bit uncomfortable.  "It's only half an inch!  You don't think he'd _notice… do you?  Does he even measure these things?  He doesn't __seem like he does.  Well, but then again, I know McGonagall takes a tape measure to all of hers.  Maybe I should-"_

"Pathetic," Sirius said.  "Simply pathetic."

"And _I'm still missing three inches," Peter grumbled.  "Why are __they smart?  You could always give me a couple inches, James."_

"Write your own sodding essay, Peter," James said, raking his hands through his hair to make it stand on end.  Peter stuck his tongue out at him.  "Dear Merlin, if he really _does measure them-"_

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Sirius laughed.  "I'm going to go… blow something up, or something.  Maybe Professor Mizuhara's back room.  The one with the oni.  Then I'll tell her you two did it."

"Have a nice time," Remus said absently as he carefully shrunk his essay.

***

            The reader will remember that this was all unusually quiet for Hogwarts in those days.  In fact, another week passed, and by mid-October, when nothing had exploded (at least, nothing too important) and Davey Gudgeon wasn't in the hospital wing, the teachers began to relax.  Other than a rather amusing incident which involved Lottie getting a hold of a soy sauce bottle from Professor Mizuhara's back room (Sirius kept asking her how she had managed to get in there) and liberally lacing Ke Wang's tea with it, nothing out of the ordinary happened at all.  This, naturally, was far, far too nice to last.

"Potter!  You are, without a doubt, the most _revolting human being on the planet!  How __dare you?"  In the middle of the Gryffindor common room, James Potter and Lily Evans were having a blazing row.  This, however, seemed to have become the norm for Gryffindor Tower, as no one was really paying attention._

            Lily stood, nearly hissing, looking between James and a small, white bunny which was sitting innocently on the floor between them.  This bunny had recently been her owl, but had been transfigured by James with the comment that "This pet suits a carrot-hair like you much better anyway!"  This, understandably, had never failed to get Lily in a perfectly pugnacious frame of mind.  "Aw, c'mon, Carrots, can't you take a simple joke?"

            _"NO!" She shouted forcefully, grabbing the first thing she could find underhand-an Arithmancy textbook belonging to Kara Maechin-and throwing it at him before fleeing up the stairs to her right, tears in her eyes._

            "Lil?  Are you all right?"  A concerned looking Abigail glanced momentarily up from a heavy tome and went back to reading.  She looked remarkably pretty that day in a white jumper and a crimson skirt.  Lily just glared, not trusting herself to say anything for the moment.

            "So, what did he do this time?" asked a cheerful voice from the direction of the window.  Lily turned and sighed, for the owner of the voice had magicked the glass away again, and was now sitting with her legs dangling off of the ledge.

"Lottie, get off of there, _please," said an exasperated Abigail, not even bothering to look up from her book.  "I'll owl your mother, and I know how Mrs. Christianson gets when she's angry.  You'll be getting Howlers every day for a week.  Besides, there's a draft."_

Lottie sighed and jumped off the window into the room, her blonde curls bouncing, waving her wand at the glass and muttering something.  The glass sprung back into place, and she threw a pillow at Abigail.  "Why owl my mother?  It appears I have one right here.  At least you're not calling me _Charlotte yet."  Then sighing, she looked at Lily again out of curious blue eyes.  "So, Lily, m'dear, I repeat myself, what did he do this time?"_

"He turned Athena into a bunny rabbit," Lily said.  "I see that smile on your face!  It wasn't funny!"

"Was it at the very least a cute bunny rabbit?"  Candy stuck her head into the room from the bathroom.  Lily threw a pillow at her too, narrowly missing as she jumped to get out of the way.  The mirror behind her reflected not only the back of Candy's auburn head, but also the face of Velvet, who seemed to be busy holding her wand to her very upturned nose and muttering spell after spell.  Lily assumed she was still trying to give it a more dignified shape.

Lily sighed again.  "Candy, why is it you always joke about everything?  _Yes, it was a __very cute bunny rabbit, but that's not the __point!"_

"At least he didn't turn it into a rat," was Lottie's observation.  "Look on the bright side, Lily!"

"If you cad't turd her back, cad I have the buddy?" asked Velvet, her voice sounding muffled and rather stuffed up.

"Velvet, I think you've done something wrong," Candy sighed, and disappeared back into the bathroom, wand out. 

Abigail placed her book reverently on her bed, carefully smoothing the pages, then came up to Lily and gave her a hug.  "Lily, don't worry.  We'll turn her back; I've got just the spell, I read about it yesterday, luckily.  Don't let him get to you so badly!"

Lottie joined the hug from the other side.  "Cheer up, Lils, tonight we'll go and put toads in his underwear drawer, or something."

Lily let out a choked giggle, realizing she was very near crying.  She let the tears fall.  "I hate him," Lily whispered.  "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"

"I know," Abigail said soothingly.


	7. Special Extra One: Character Guide

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Special Extra One: Character Guide

OK, we all knew I'd get here someday.  An A/N type thing that is far too long to put in my A/N.  There will be one of these every few chapters.  Consider them… special treats?  Accordingly… here is a list of the current OCs, as well as any and all descriptions which might help you differentiate between them.  I'm sure I'll add more as the story goes on.  At this point, however, here is the OC tally.

**~TEACHERS~**

**Maximillian**** Macnair – The sour-faced head of Slytherin and the Potions master.**

**Chiyako Mizuhara – The fiery-tempered Japanese woman who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts**

**~OTHER NON-STUDENTS~**

**Natalie Black – Sirius' mother.**

**Harold and Alanna Evans – Lily's parents.**

**Antonia Lupin – Remus' older sister, who doesn't think much of him.**

**Cynthia Malkin – The beautiful and eccentric young woman who was just opened Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.**

**Brenna and Aiden O'Malley – Molly's parents.**

**Sabrina Potter – James' six-year-old sister.**

**Tabitha Potter – James' mother, who likes Divination to a frightening extent.**

**~STUDENTS~**

Here, things get tricky.  First, the older students for each House.

_Gryffindor_

**Maureen Abbot – Second year.**

**Regina Deacon – Better known as Gina, a third year prone to hysterics.**

**Frank Longbottom – Second year.  He'll get tons of focus soon.**

**Kara Maechin – Fourth year who takes Arithmancy.**

**Robin Southwood – A sixth year Prefect.  He's very cheerful.  He is also the Quidditch commentator at the moment.**

**Cory Thurgood – Second year.**

_Hufflepuff_

**Molly O'Malley – All right, she's not an OC, as she will grow into Molly Weasley.  She is, however, in year seven, and from the same village as Lily.**

_Ravenclaw_

None at the moment.  This, trust me, will change.

_Slytherin_

**Orrin Avery – The Seeker and captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.  He's in his fourth year, and plays a very nasty game.**

**Edan**** Crabbe – A Beater on the Slytherin team.  Second year.**

**Rockny**** Goyle – Usually called simply Rock.  The other Beater on the Slytherin team.  Second year.**

Now, here are _all the students in the same year as Lily, James, and company for each House.  Those which have had any exposure are described.  Expect to see the others sometime soon._

_Gryffindor_

**Candice Allen – A half-blood (her father's a wizard, her mother's a Muggle) from a small town in Manchester.  She is usually called Candy, and thinks everything is funny.  She has a crush on James.**

**Sirius Black – Can I get a duh?  All right, all right.  The class clown, incredibly good-looking.  He lives in a primarily wizarding establishment north of London, but is originally from Scotland.  One of the Marauders.**

**Charlotte Christianson – The requisite nutty female Gryffindor, she's nearly as obsessed with pranks and detentions as the Marauders are.  She goes by Lottie, and comes from Northern Ireland.  She's from an old wizarding family.  She's badly afraid of heights and has quite the crush on Sirius.**

**Lily Evans – Our protagonist, the Muggle-born, Irish, hot-headed, studious Lily.  She hates the nickname Carrots. Hell, she just hates James.  She says.**

**Abigail Gordon – A beautiful, soft-spoken, very talented Scottish witch.  It is apparent that she comes from generations of Slytherin blood.**

**Davey Gudgeon – The happy-go-lucky boy who never quite fits in with his year-mates.  The Marauders often injure him accidentally.**

**Velvet Lindley – Best described by Lily as an "idiot savant", Velvet is the child of hippies who live close to Candy.  She's really quite stupid, except when it comes to flying.**

**Remus Lupin – Oh, come on, people!  It's Remus!  Fine, fine, fine… He's one of the Marauders, the "toned down" one, if you will.  He hails from Wales, where he moved with his family from London when he was four…**

**Peter Pettigrew – Old wizarding family, bit of a lack of talent.  Peter wants nothing more than to fit in.  He comes from London.  Marauder.**

**James Potter – The hero of the story, and rather a (pardon the pun) potty-mouth.  He lives in the same town as Sirius, and his parents are very wealthy.  The self-proclaimed leader of the Marauders, as he has a bit more tact than Sirius, and Remus doesn't want it…**

_Hufflepuff_

**Ethan Barber**

**Amelia Burke – Friend of Marcus.**

**Lea Conner**

**Bethany Keller**

**Todd McCullough**

**Steven Morrow**

**Lucas Reynolds**

**Wendy Stevens**

**Marcus Welch – Fell off his broom while attempting to learn how to fly.**

**Caroline Zott**

_Ravenclaw_

**Angela Avila – Most likely the kindest student in the school, she sees the good in everyone.**

**Katharine Breslin – Close friend of Madoc's.**

**Jane Graystone – Quiet but caustically sarcastic.**

**Madoc Gwyn – Had his hair accidentally charmed silver by Lottie.  Now he fancies her.  Go figure.**

**Keenan Harrison**

**Oksana**** Nikolayeva – Russian student.**

**Gene Randall – Eats too much.**

**Christopher Rosales**

**Robert Scott**

**Patricia Wells – Grew up in the same town as James and Sirius, and hates the intensely.  Very prim and proper.**

_Slytherin_

**Xavier Bulstrode – All we know is he's engaged to Amanda.  And looks like a troll.**

**Narcissa Caligo – Another "not really OC", she will become Narcissa Malfoy.  She's studious and soft-spoken.  By personality, she doesn't seem to fit into Slytherin at all.**

**Veronica Clarke – A very nosy, not very pretty girl.  She idolizes Narcissa.**

**Amanda Layton – Abigail's cousin.  She resents… well, a lot of things.  She wants to play Quidditch.**

**Lucius Malfoy – Very aristocratic, and very sure of himself.  He and Narcissa have been engaged since the age of five.**

**Desdemona Muldoon – A haughty Irish girl.  She idolizes Narcissa as well.**

**Valentine Parkinson – Future father of Pansy.**

**Ian Rookwood – Friend of Severus.**

**Severus Snape – Talented at Potions and a close friend of the stand-offish Lucius.  He doesn't see why everyone bows to the "princess of Slytherin", aka Narcissa.  He hates James because James' Potions talent rivals his own.**

**Ke**** Wang – A very proud Chinese student.**


	8. Owl Post

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Seven: Owl Post

Hello again, everyone!  I bring to you the chapter comprised entirely of letters that the first years are sending home.  It's sort of a scattered look at the month of November from the eyes of the little ones… there are some laughs, some sad things, and some horrible ones.  Spelling errors are intentional (particularly in Xavier Bulstrode's letter), because no all eleven-year-olds can write like Abigail the Encyclopedia.  Enjoy muchly!  Look forward to Christmastime in the next chapter!!!  Most of the students are going home, but for those who aren't, what lies in store?  And what is this James mentions in his letter about bad news?  And just how much shall the Restriction of Underage Wizardry be flouted?  Oh, you'll see… will you ever see.  Now, go forth and enjoy the fic!

Disclaimer: I want Draco for Christmas.  Anyone want to give him to me?

This chapter is dedicated to the prosecuting attorney who stood against me today for the city of Greeley and relented halfway through and suggested my case be dropped because I was "such a sweet girl".

Owl from Lily Evans to Harold and Alanna Evans, November 3, 1971

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_I'm sorry about not writing for the past two weeks.  A very annoying boy named James Potter (you remember me telling you about him) transfigured Athena into a bunny, and after Abigail turned her back, she jumped at shadows and refused to deliver anything.  Stupid boy!_

Well, she's all right now, and I can write again!  How have you been?  Did you have a pleasant Halloween?  Halloween at Hogwarts was amazing… there were jack-o'-lanterns hanging in mid-air, Nearly Headless Nick sung early Italian arias (I'm not entirely sure why, though Abigail, who speaks Italian, said they were tragic) and Headmaster Dumbledore brought in butterbeer from Hogsmeade for all of us.  I hadn't tried it before, because first and second years can't go into town, but I loved it!  If I can procure a bottle, I'll send some home.  I think you'll enjoy it.  It makes you feel all warm and relaxed inside.

School has been going well.  I recently got back a perfect Charms essay with lavish praise from Professor Flitwick scribbled upon it.  I think that Charms is going to be my best subject.  But I hate Astronomy with a passion!  I don't see much of a reason for it, but if they say I have to take it, I have to take it.

_I'm looking forward to seeing you both next month over Christmas.  I'll be at King's Cross at __7:00 pm__ on December 13th.  Molly says her mother has offered to get me if you can't make the journey.  What do you think?_

_Oh dear.  It seems Lottie has managed to hack off the Slytherin boys again.  They're clamoring at the door to the common room for us to "bring out that little…" Well, as a matter of fact, I won't even write a word like that.  But I think maybe I had best go on crowd control.  You'll like Lottie, I think, Mum.  She's adventurous-kind of like you._

_Love,_

_Your Little Lily_

_P.S. Is Petunia coming home for holiday?  Please say no!_

Owl from Sirius Black to Natalie Black, November 3, 1971

_Mum,_

_            For the love of God, Mother, stop sending inquiries to Professor McGonagall as to my behavior!  I haven't been expelled yet, have I?  If I am, I promise they'll let you know with or without incessant nagging._

_Love,_

_Sirius_

Owl from Lottie Christianson to Helen Christianson, November 5, 1971

_Dear Mum,_

_Hello!  As you enquired in your last letter, I am required to tell you that yes, I have been behaving myself.  Mostly.  Lily's reading over my shoulder and giggling.  I think she doesn't believe me.  Silly Lily!  I haven't been in detention for over a week. There, that should make you happy._

_Thank you for sending me cookies, by the way.  All of __Gryffindor__Tower__ enjoyed them and send their thanks.  Regina Deacon begs you for the recipe._

_Oh!  Kindly tell Mrs. Snape that if her son attempts to kill me again, she will no longer have a son._

_Lots of love from_

_Lottie_

Owl from Abigail Gordon to Keaira Gordon, November 5, 1971

_Dear Mother,_

_            Thank you for your previous letter.  The extra study guide was most welcome, as was the package of lionfish spikes.  I was nearly out.  Your help in Potions has been invaluable._

_            As to your inquiry, I am still at the top of my classes.  Headmaster Dumbledore seems very pleased with me.  I am making perfect marks in everything excepting Potions and Transfiguration.  In both of these classes I have surpassed the expectations of my professors and am receiving over a hundred percent.  That should please you._

_            I would like to inform you that Amanda and Xavier are not getting along.  Perhaps you should write to Aunt Janet and suggest that the two spend more time together?  I would hate to see an engagement that is so advantageous to the family fail.  Amanda may pout about it now, but it's only for her own good, after all.  Besides, Xavier is such a… suitable boy._

_            I'm afraid I must go, for it's dinnertime, and I don't want to miss it after I missed lunch today to study, or the professors will wonder.  Yes, mother, I'm very carefully watching my weight.  Don't worry._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Abigail_

Owl from Amanda Layton to Janet Layton, November 7, 1971

_Dear Mother,_

_            I refuse to discuss the idea of Xavier Bulstrode.  He's repulsive and hasn't enough brains to fill a thimble.  I ask you to kindly reconsider.  Furthermore, if this insistence that I spend some time alone with him is Abigail's doing, kindly tell Aunt Keaira for me that her daughter has become an impudent, good-hearted Gryffindor twerp.  And has been eating pastries with her dinner.  I think her robes may be getting tight around the middle…_

_Your daughter,_

_Amanda_

Owl from Marcus Welch to Paul Welch, November 7, 1971

_Dear Dad,_

_            I'm having Amelia write this letter on account of being in the hospital wing again.  They simply don't understand that man is not meant to fly!  Stop sniggering, Amelia, it isn't funny._

_            In any case, it's a compound fracture this time, and Madam Pomfrey has promised to release me in a few days.  I've managed to keep up with my homework, more or less.  Tell Mum not to worry about me, there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage.  Amelia asks if she may add "except to my brain."  I am trying very hard to remember your rule about not hitting girls, Dad._

_            In any case, I'm going to stop dictating before I strangle her.  Trust me to ask a girl to write my letters.  For all I know, she's going to put hearts and flowers all over it.  Girls are silly!  No, Amelia, don't pour that ink over the letter!_

_            Oh, for the love of Merlin.  Disregard the ink-stain, please._

_Love,_

_Marcus_

_P.S. Mister Welch, did you know your son was insufferable?_

_-Amelia Burke_

Owl from Madoc Gwyn to Glynnis Gwyn, November 7, 1971

_Mum,_

_            No, my hair isn't a "normal color" yet.  I really don't mind.  You don't have to send me to a specialist to cure it, for Merlin's sake._

_            My class-work is going well.  Enclosed, you will find a near-perfect Charms essay to prove it._

_            I'm wondering if you could buy me some fireflower pollen?  I need it for a potion, and they won't let the students use the school stores except for class-work.  This is a sort of… extra credit.  Please?  You won't have to send me spending money for a week._

_            Katharine says to tell you hello.  Tell Mrs. Breslin hello as well, and that I wish she would send us some of her pumpkin pie.  No one makes it like she does.  I miss you, and I'll see you over Christmas._

_Love,_

_Madoc___

_P.S. If I were thinking of getting a girl a Christmas present (hypothetically), what would I get her?_

Owl from Xavier Bulstrode to Irana Bulstrode, November 8, 1971

_Mum,_

_            Send me more munny.  I dont have enuf for candy agan.  Edan stol it all._

_Xavier_

Owl from James Potter to David, Tabitha and Sabrina Potter, November 8, 1971

_Mum, Dad, and Bena,_

_            Hello all!  Sorry it's been such a while since I've written.  I've been busy.  With schoolwork.  Is Sabrina giggling?  Tell her to sod off.  Sorry, Mum, sorry._

_            School is going well, and I've proven myself with a fine hand at Potions-yes, I know, of all classes.  Incidentally, there is a bloke… sorry, a _boy_ here named Severus Snape who seems to detest me for the sole reason that I'm neck and neck with him in Potions.  Never mind that Abigail Gordon is ahead of both of us-apparently, his hatred only extends to the males of the species.  The species being Gryffindors, naturally._

_            How's primary school treating you, Bena?  You want to quit yet?  School's a nasty business, generally, but you're lucky to be going to a school run by wizards.  I've met a few fellows here who went to Muggle primary school, and a lot of perfectly simple things (such as moving illustrations in books) absolutely astound then.  But then again, can you imagine pictures that _don't_ move?  Honestly!  Do well in all your classes-you'll love it here when you come in a few years._

_            Dad, there have been some really disturbing developments in the paper… it feels like they're hushing it all up.  Dark activity up north somewhere, a Muggle presumed dead by unnatural means… it worries me.  Owl me, will you, and tell me what's really going on?  I'm a big boy, I can take it._

_            Mum, take care of yourself, and please don't believe anything Mrs. Black tells you.  We're really not that bad.  Your last owl from the school was last month.  That's not so bad!_

_            I love you all and miss you!  I can't wait till Christmas, and yes, I remember that I'm not to give any sort of charmed sweets to Sabrina._

_            I'll just sneak them into her sock drawer instead.  That's not "giving"._

_            Only joking!_

_Love,_

_James_

Owl from Narcissa Caligo to Deanna Caligo, November 10, 1971

_Dear Mother,_

_            I thank you for your concern over my recent stay in the hospital wing.  Please don't worry, there isn't any need.  It was only a few bruises, because I was clumsy and fell down the stairs to my dormitory.  I'm really all right now._

_            Lucius has been doing quite well, and thanks you for asking.  It was very kind of you to remember him.  As you say, he is a wonderfully suitable young man._

_            My studies have been going quite well, but I have remembered what you said and spend some time every day with the other members of my house.  It is just like society back home._

_            Unfortunately, I have to go.  My eye isn't fully unswollen yet, and it is hard to see the parchment properly in the candlelight.  I'll write again soon and tell you more about what has been going on in the Slytherin dungeon.  _

_For a bit of gossip, without which I know you will not leave me in peace, Lucius looked kindly upon my new silver robes.  Thank you for sending them._

_Your dutiful daughter,_

_Narcissa___

Owl from Remus Lupin to Wynne Lupin, November 10, 1971

_Dear Mum,_

_            I just got out of the hospital wing yesterday.  It seems like this is going to work after all.  I told James, Sirius and Peter that I went to Great-aunt Agatha's funeral.  It's a pity I never had a Great-aunt Agatha.  Last month, you were meant to be ill but it was cloudy the night of the fourth, and I ended up serving detention instead.  It was a welcome change. In September, Dad needed me for something or another.  I'm going to be hard-pressed to make up enough convincing stories, but…_

_I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss the tighter quarters at home.  The place where they've set me up is much bigger, and there's more for me to destroy.  On the second of November during the last fool moon, I managed to get a wooden spike embedded in my leg somehow.  It was horrible._

_            Madam Pomfrey dealt with me as though she deals with this sort of thing every day.  It's gratifying, although Abigail Gordon noticed the scratches on my arms and asked what at Great-aunt Agatha's funeral had been so dangerous.  She's very intelligent._

_            I _am_ glad I got to go to school.  It's the best thing that's ever happened to me.  Bless Headmaster Dumbledore.  Give my love to Dad and pass on my hellos to Antonia whenever she comes home to visit.  I hope your week's been much better than mine._

_Love,_

_Remus_

Owl from Davey Gudgeon to John Gudgeon, November 11, 1971

_Dad,_

_            Thanks for owling me, but the fireproof cloak wasn't necessary, kind as the gesture was.  If Sirius Black is determined to set me aflame, he'll do it, cloak or no.  The scary part is, he doesn't even do it on purpose._

_            Well, Remus, one of their little group, was missing for a few days and I got some respite.  He's back today, but he looks quite sick.  He must have loved his Great-aunt Agatha very much.  Tell Great-aunt Martha I love her next time you see her, will you?_

_            I'll be seeing you in a month, unless one of the four manages to kill me entirely.  I love you, Dad!_

_Your homesick son,_

_Davey___

Owl from Angela Avila to Michael, Mary, and Michelle Avila, November 12, 1971

_Mummy, Daddy and Shelly,_

_            Thank you for your letter!  It was like a little taste of home.  I see Michelle was already home from __Sweden__ when I owled-yes, of course I was glad to see your handwriting, Shelly, awful as it is.  I miss my big sister!  School has been wonderful, and everyone is very nice.  Ravenclaw Tower is becoming very friendly, and Madoc has set about teaching me to play chess.  We usually play a match after dinner before starting our homework.  I've never had to stay up all night studying yet, but I'm prepared for whenever it's necessary._

_            The end of term exams are coming soon, and I'm already studying diligently.  After all, we come home in a month!  Oh, I can't wait to see all of you… I've missed my family so much.  Some of the other children aren't homesick at all.  I think it's sad… but I'm lucky to have you.  Will the entire family be coming in for Christmas like last year?  How is Grandma doing, by the way?  I owled her a while back, but I guess she hasn't had a chance to reply.  Kiss her on both cheeks for me and tell her I can't wait to see her either._

_            Oh, Katharine and Jane have just come in bearing a pie.  How they manage to get food up here, I'll never know.  I have a feeling they're breaking rules to get it, so I don't dare ask.  But it is awfully nice to have hot pie on such a cold day.  I'll see you soon!  I love you, miss you, and send you many kisses!_

_XOXO,_

_Your__ Angel_

Owl from Lucius Malfoy to Gustave Malfoy, November 13, 1971

_Father,_

_            A month more before I can get out of this hellhole.  It's a pity you didn't send me to Durmstrang.  Everyone's so very… good and _righteous_ here.  It makes me sick.  Narcissa's been quite silent about it all; I wonder why.  Most of the other girls complain incessantly about the mudbloods running amuck in this place, but not her.  I suppose since she's one of the best-looking girls in the year, it's not a surprise.  They don't bother her as much as they bother that hideous Veronica Clarke for example-though I do wonder why she isn't feeling insulted by their constant stares and advances?  That prat of a Gryffindor, Remus Lupin, said hello to her when they were both in the Infirmary last week.  If it had been any other girl in Slytherin, she would have been mortified.  But Narcissa actually said "hello" back.  Perhaps she hasn't been taught proper conduct yet?  Well, she'll learn._

_            I managed to get a hold of the caretaker's cat and torture her a bit a few days ago-stupid squib-and then pass the blame on Peter Pettigrew, who just happened to be around to pick on.  That I consider a job well done, especially since the cat sliced his face to ribbons before Filch even got to him.  Squibs should stick together, as Desdemona so aptly says._

_            In short, everything's been as well as can be expected around here.  I've got a few intelligent cronies in Ian and Severus, and a couple of "minions" in Valentine and Xavier.  They're useful, for all they're so stupid.  Just the other day, they frightened some Hufflepuff girl into hysterics in Transfiguration and got points taken off.  Good.  The Hufflepuffs can all go to hell anyway._

_            I can't wait to come home over Christmas for some civilized company.  Do tell Mother I say hello._

_Your son,_

_Lucius___

Owl from Peter Pettigrew to Philomela Pettigrew, November 15, 1971

_Dearest Mummy,_

_            Can't I come home sooner?  I am enjoying my new friends, but examenashons (is that how you spell it?) have me scared stiff!  I'm afraid I will fail Potions, despite all the help that James is giving me.  In any case, it is nice here.  Lottie Christianson had some cookies a while ago, and they were a great success.  We don't have nearly enough sweets here.  Yes, I'm hinting!_

_            Christmas is just around the corner!  What would you like?  I've been saving money so I can get everyone nice gifts this year.  I haven't ever had so many friends before, though!  I'm getting everything ahead of time by owl order because Abigail Gordon said it would be cheaper that way, and she's smart._

_            Oh, also, may I go to James' house On December 26th?  He's invited all of us.  Please, Mummy?_

_Love,_

_Peter_

Owl from Candy Allen to Cory and Karen Allen, November 16, 1971

_Hello Mum and Dad!_

_            I've been doing well, thank you for asking.  Dad, your owl is so old it's a disgrace!  At least one of us needs a new one.  For Christmas perhaps?  Oh, and may I have your old broom next year?  I'm not allowed one right now, but it would be nice to learn to fly better.  Madam Hooch stopped us at "proficient", and that's not good enough for me!  Besides, Velvet's zooming around like she spent her whole life riding a broomstick!  It's unfair!_

_            Other than that, life's been wonderful.  It's snowing for the first time tonight.  It's after hours, but four of the boys in my year went out anyway the second they saw the snow.  Of course, this was their first night out of detention in a very long while.  I suppose they wanted some fun.  Although sneaking out after hours when one lives in detention… well.  Lottie says detention is fun.  All five of them are absolutely nutters._

_            There _were_ great big coffee pots full of cocoa and cups in the common room when we got back from dinner, though.  How is it I never see these house-elves?  They must be better than Grandma's is.  I see Talli all the time.  I don't think she could be inconspicuous if it killed her._

_            Sipping cocoa, writing a letter, and petting Splotch (Lottie's off somewhere again, and Lily's studying, so the cat comes to me as a substitute for affection)… could you think of a nicer evening?  I only wish there wasn't a History of Magic essay to do yet tonight.  Yes, of course I'll do it.  Eventually.  I just don't want to think about Grindelwald when it's snowing!_

_            I love and miss you… I can't wait to see you next month!_

_Hugs and kisses from_

_Candy_

Owl from Severus Snape to Sybilla Snape, November 17, 1971

_Mother,_

_            For the love of Merlin, inform Mrs. Christianson that if her daughter tries to frame me one more time, she will no longer have a daughter.  That girl is so sneaky, she deserves to be in Slytherin.  Except if she was, I'd have killed her already._

_            In other news, school is going well.  My marks are passable, but I am excelling in Potions… Professor Macnair seems very pleased with my progress.  We're working on different levels of sleeping potions… we had our choice as to which one we would write about in our last essay.  I picked the Draught of Living Death.  Never let it be said I go for the easy ones._

_            In other news, Narcissa Caligo is still queening it over all of us.  I know you've explained why she's so important, but really… the girl has far too high an opinion of herself.  Then again, I'm down on the social ladder too, so I really shouldn't talk.  I know how pleased you are that Lucius and I have become friends.  It's a step up in the right directions._

_            But really… I can see why he looks down on some of these people. But torturing cats?  It's just a dumb animal, after all.  That, in my opinion, was low of him.  Well, I'm not one to judge._

_            I'm staying at Hogwarts over Christmas, on account of Lottie going home.  I need a break from her.  Perhaps we can alternate holidays?_

_Love,_

_Severus___

Owl from Patricia Wells to Cameron and Theresa Wells, November 18, 1971

_Mum and Dad,_

_            I only have time for a short letter.  This one includes pictures of me, finally.  Keenan Harrison took them.  My hair's grown out a bit, as you can see.  But be advised I still fully intend to murder Sirius Black for it over Christmas.  I find it insulting when all you can say is "be more careful around him," Dad!  You're supposed to be on my side._

_            My marks are good-you'll be pleased when they send home a report at the end of the fall term.  But Mum, remind me to ask you for help with my Herbology homework.  You're good with that, and I'm really struggling.  Cecilia Starello has been tutoring me, but I'd love some help from you as well._

_            Ah, well, here comes Cecilia now.  I've got to get my homework done.  I promise to send a longer letter next week!_

_Love,_

_Patricia_

Owl from Velvet Lindley to Charlie and Jill Lindley, November 20, 1971

_Mum and Dad,_

_            How are you?  I'm fine.  I really like to fly.  It's fun.  I wish it wasn't snowing so that we could still have flying lessons.  Madam Hooch says I show promise.  I want to play Quidditch someday!_

_            Candy says her dad is going to __London__ to get us when we come home.  Have they talked to you about it?  I suppose since you're Muggles, getting to __London__ in such a short time would be hard.__  Unless you've gone and sold the apartment._

_            Have you?_

_            School is all right, but I want to go home.  I like vacation better._

_            Can I have a broom for Christmas?_

_Love,_

_Velvet_

Owl from Lily Evans to Alanna Evans, November 21, 1971

_Dear Mum,_

_            Thank you for replying so promptly.  I know the flight to __Ireland__ is still a strain on poor little Athena.  She's growing up right before my eyes, though!  She'll be up to trans-oceanic journeys by this time next year.  I'm glad to hear you're well, and Dad as well.  Too bad Petunia's coming home, but it was to be expected, I suppose.  If she tries to savage me, my owl, or any of my school things, I reserve the right to turn her into a slug._

_            I said I wouldn't turn her into a toad.  I said nothing about slugs._

_            It's been snowing steadily for the past few days.  Herbology's been canceled, so I've had more free time than usual.  I've found some interesting books on advanced Charms theory.  I really want to show you what I've learned!  Perhaps if Mrs. O'Malley's around to supervise?_

_            Speaking of the O'Malleys, I've talked to Molly again, and she says you're coming with Mrs. O'Malley to get me!  How on earth?  Does floo work for Muggles, I wonder?  If it doesn't, how will you get to __London__ and back?  Well, it doesn't matter in any case, because I'm madly looking forward to seeing you soon!  Your letters are wonderful, but I just want to hug my mum._

_            Oh great.  James Potter just sneaked a peek over my shoulder, smirked, and called me a mama's girl.  I hate him!  I had best go so that the ink doesn't get spilled when I attempt to kill him.  I can't wait to see you, Mummy!_

_Lots and lots of love,_

_Lily_


	9. Home for the Holidays

~*Fragments of Yesterday*~

Chapter Eight: Home for the Holidays

I'm baaaaaaaack!  How was everyone's Christmas?  I haven't had a chance to write Christmas in this ficcy yet (next chapter, I swear), but I'm still completely in the spirit, so… well, I'm sitting in a condo in Breckenridge, Colorado, overlooking the peaks and a frozen over lake, with snow falling thick and soft… I love winter weather.  I'm on vacation, can you tell?  Finally.  I needed a break.  I'll try to get the Christmas chapter started while I'm up here, too…  To all my reviewers, thank you!  Let's make this story the most popular MWPP ever, shall we?  Advertise!  Hell, get it niffled if you can!  To inquiries, I respond that the idea of a letter chapter is certainly open for kidnapping, and that my disclaimers are also free to the public.  They're not particularly clever, I don't think, but if you like them… er.  Anyway!  In this chapter, we see the Knight Bus, the Marauders study (Yes, _all of them.  Shocked, are you?), Lucius is creepy, Severus is sulky, Narcissa is resigned, and there is a small Hufflepuff scene as promised.  Oh, and, back by popular demand, it's Alanna, Brenna, Molly, and even Petunia.  Enjoy it!!!_

Disclaimer: There's a really cool thing called reality.  I try to ignore it.

This chapter is dedicated to Erica, aka Amelia Burke, who is awesomely cool.  Keep Christmas in your heart all year ^_^.

The week before the thirteenth of December stretched long and boring, rather like the lectures the students were receiving in History of Magic classes.  There were fewer explosions and strange occurrences due to the fact that James and Remus had somehow browbeat Sirius into studying (a heretofore unmanageable feat) instead of engaging in his customary practice of causing chaos.  On the girls' side of the spectrum, Lily and Abigail had, in turn, subdued Lottie.  That she wasn't studying was no surprise to anyone concerned-getting Lottie to study would have been nothing short of a miracle, and while miracles were relatively abundant in Hogwarts, the first year Gryffindor girls didn't try particularly hard.  It was enough that Lottie stayed quiet while the two of them worked, which was achieved by many death glares, and in Lily's case threats to tie her to a broomstick and throw her out the window.

            Thus, the week passed without incident.  Davey Gudgeon breathed an enormous sigh of relief after the last dinner before the students were to go home, for he had stayed unenchanted, uninjured, and generally unbothered for over a week, and that in and of itself was a rare and wonderful occurrence.  He had been plagued with nightmares over the last few days, most of which involved him going home to his mother with goat horns or webbed feet.  It was rather unlucky for him just how good James Potter was proving to be at Transfiguration.

            As the students dispersed, sleepy and satisfied that the half-year exams had ended (all except Madoc Gwyn, who seemed quite bent on not going anywhere, vacation or no), conversation was light and moods were merry.  That is, they were for everyone but James Potter, who was brooding silently, something even Sirius Black knew wasn't a safe thing to interrupt.

            The cause for James' decidedly foul humor had come from the morning paper, which had been expounding yet another bout of Dark magic which had cropped up in Yorkshire.  There were a minimum of three dead and countless injured by what the press was calling a "rogue manticore".  The fact that manticores were not native to that part of Yorkshire aside, it was simply worrying that Muggles were seeing this-the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad had their hands full with Memory Charms.  When James attempted to question his father, a Ministry official, in letters, Matthew Potter invariably replied with "it really doesn't concern you," as though James were still a little child barely out of swaddling clothes and anything mildly disturbing was to be kept at an arm's length, rather as it was for Sabrina.  James would have appreciated the loving parental sentiment much more if he didn't feel rather like he was being handled, which never failed to get his spine up.

            "Jamie, d'you reckon we can have a final lark before we leave?  You know, seeing as exams are over and all…"  Sirius looked hopefully at his best friend, risking his possible outlash of temper in hopes of getting his mind off of whatever was eating him.

            James' eyes flashed with anger behind his glasses for a moment before he replied in a cool tone, "No, you can go ahead without me.  I believe I'll go to bed."

            With that, he headed up the stairs to the dormitories, leaving Sirius, Remus (who had just returned from yet another family funeral looking positively worn out) and Peter to stare at his back with varying degrees of unease.

            "It's only _six-thirty," Remus said, shaking his head.  "That's just not…"_

            "Normal," Peter finished.  "Think he's sick?"

            Sirius shook his head, more in tune with James' mindset after years spent growing up together.  "Just let him mope a while, lads.  I thoroughly recommend leaving him alone until morning.  You'd rather not be on the business end of his wand if he gets upset."  He rubbed the back of his head, wincing reminiscently.

            "In other words, he's a spoilt child with a nasty temper," Lily said from across the room where she was gathering up her books and watching Lottie slaughter Candy at chess yet again.

            There was no one to venomously reply "And you aren't?"  For some reason she couldn't name, Lily was mildly disappointed.

***

            The children who were going home for the holidays rose with the sun.  Lily actually spent several minutes grinning stupidly out the window as it rose, for it had snowed overnight, and the sight of the Quidditch pitch and the grounds beyond was really quite remarkable.  Even the Forbidden Forest looked somehow friendlier and more inviting.

            After her requisite time watching the sunrise and generally communing with nature, Lily pulled aside the curtains of Lottie's bed (taking a sadistic sort of pleasure in the fact that her friend was still sleeping) and screamed at the top of her lungs.  _"Oy, Sirius!  Fancy seeing you here in this state of… of… stateness!"_

            Lottie was already up by the end of this, frantically patting her hair into place and quite obviously fighting a losing one-handed battle against the long, unruly locks which seemed inclined to go in every direction but where she wanted them to.  At the same time, she was holding her sheet up with her other hand.  That didn't hide her pink, fuzzy pajamas.  "Sirius!  You're… Lily, where's Sirius?"

            Lily grinned at the flabbergasted Lottie, wishing she had a camera to capture the ridiculous moment.  "In your dreams," she said cheerfully, and ducked into the bathroom, narrowly avoiding the large feather pillow which followed.

***

            One couldn't see the dawn from the darkness of the dungeon rooms of Slytherin, but Amanda rose just past sunrise anyway.  She yawned, stretched, and pulled aside her curtains, intent on taking possession of the bathroom.  Her good mood soured immediately when she looked in that direction, for Narcissa Caligo, already perfectly dressed in robes of ice blue with white fur trim had gotten there first.  She was drawing a brush through her very long hair, and in the mirror, Amanda could catch her small, delicately pink lips counting strokes.  Looking down at herself, her plaid winter nightgown wrinkled, her hair tickling her nose from where it had escaped from the ponytail she had meant it to stay in overnight, she felt suddenly quite miserable.  She sneered down at her bare feet.  "Nearly done, Princess?" she asked, letting sarcasm drip from her words.  It was too bloody early for courtesy.

            "Just about," was Narcissa's quiet reply as she brushed the eighty-third stroke.

            Ke Wang's bed was empty-no large surprise.  She was staying the holidays at Hogwarts, and had gotten herself a reputation as something of a lone wolf, and certainly a night owl.  She'd drift in and collapse in bed in an hour or so.  But Veronica stuck her overly large nose out of her bed curtains (and into Amanda's affairs, where it had no business being, at least according to Amanda) and glared through half-lidded, sleepy eyes.  "Leave her alone."

            Amanda stuck out her tongue.  The way she figured it, she could be childish if someone else had started being childish _first.  "I'm not going to hurt her, for Merlin's sake.  She's not made out of __porcelain."_

            Narcissa turned from the mirror, putting her silver brush aside, and smiled, almost shyly, at Amanda, despite, or perhaps because of the fact that she had certainly heard.  "I'm finished."

            "Narcissa, could I-" Desdemona's voice was heard from behind as-yet drawn green curtains.

            "No," Amanda said peevishly, going into the bathroom and shutting the door with a loud bang.  She really, _really hated Narcissa Caligo._

            It was perhaps a bit ironic that Narcissa, at that very moment, was thinking that of all the girls in her dorm, the only one she could stand to be around was Amanda.

But being well-bred and proper (to a point, in any case), neither would ever say so.

***

            Breakfast was only about half-full that morning, being served much earlier than usual, owing to the fact that the children had to leave quite early to catch the Hogwarts Express into London and still get home in time for dinner.  There were yawning, sleepy faces interspersed among the brightly cheerful ones.  "Bloody morning people," Severus muttered under his breath as he stared with little interest at the plate of eggs and sausages before him.  "They all need to be shot."

            "Shot?" Lucius Malfoy raised an elegant brow at him.  This evidently did not serve to improve Severus' mood.

            "Cursed beyond all recognition," he substituted.  "Several times over.  Preferably hexed as well, and deprived of caffeine and sugar for the rest of their natural lives."

            Across the table, Ian Rookwood sniggered.  Lucius allowed himself a sneering little smile (all he ever wore, really) and sipped his coffee.  He had been the only Slytherin first year to come in with a love for the potent drink.  Naturally, seeing as this was Lucius, the fad had spread like wildfire, and now, at least half of the Slytherin population was hopelessly addicted to coffee.

            Lucius put aside his cup and carefully patted his mouth with a cloth napkin.  "Most of the filth here deserves that in any case," he said mildly.  "Ah, hello Narcissa."  As he did every morning, he lifted her small white hand to his mouth.  Narcissa stood through the morning ritual with her eyes lowered to the floor.  "You look lovely," he complimented her as he did every morning without actually looking at her, gesturing to the chair next to him.  Valentine Parkinson immediately jumped out of his seat to pull it out for her.

            "Good morning, Lucius," Narcissa replied softly.  "Thank you."  She continued to stare down as Edan and Rock served her a little of everything.  She ate delicately, never letting her gaze rise to meet anyone else's.  It was like every other morning, really.

            Severus, looking over at the Gryffindor table, winced. Why did Lucius get to spend his winter holidays with _her when __he would be stuck next door to the Gryffindor harridan?  Lottie caught his look and stuck out her tongue, then returned to warring over a particular rasher of bacon with Velvet._

            Lucius, meanwhile, watched Narcissa eating with that same sneering little smile of before, and a bored sort of look of possession in his eyes.  She was a tame little kitten, which she certainly should have been after all these years.  Lucius smirked across the hall to the Gryffindor table as well.  So tame… almost… boring.  Pale and perfect and utterly broken.  They were always less entertaining once you broke them.  Narcissa, too, had had something of a temper, and oh, he had enjoyed his childhood with her, bringing her to heel… too bad it was over.  But of course… there were other toys out there to reach out and take.  Steel glinted in his cool gray eyes, and his whole demeanor was rather that of a very large cat amusedly stalking a very small, very oblivious mouse.  There was always that sort of air about Lucius-of violence carefully concealed by breeding.

Lily Evans, quite unaware of his scrutiny, was shouting, quite red in the face, at James Potter.  For a change.  Lucius smiled, but the smile, as ever, didn't reach his eyes.

            There was a promise of violence in that gaze.  No one noticed it except Narcissa, who watched him from below her lashes.  But Narcissa would never say anything at all.

***

            The sleigh ride through the snowy landscape towards Hogsmeade and the train station was an utter treat.  Laughter seemed to freeze in the crystalline air, tinkling on and on long after the sleighs, ornamented by cheerful bells, had passed.  Girls were wrapped up in warm cloaks and the occasional coquettish fur hat among the more daring older students.  The boys in turn wore rakish expressions, bright scarves and, more often than not, snow.  Bethany Keller of Hufflepuff, riding along with a fully recovered Marcus Welch and Amelia Burke, couldn't help but smile.  "It looks like something out of a painting.  Or a really nice dream…"

            A messy snowball thrown from a neighboring sled by Todd McCullough (he had excellent aim, drat him) hit Marcus in the back of the head.  "A very cold dream," he amended.

            "You haven't any sense of the Christmas spirit, Marcus!" Amelia reprimanded.  "It's about love, and happiness and-"

            "Bitter, bone-chilling cold," Marcus finished.  "Complete with ice storms, and faulty heating, and all sorts of other unpleasant things."

            "Well _I think it's beautiful," Bethany said dreamily, leaning her chin on the arms she had crossed on the edge of the sleigh, eyes sparkling.  "Just like a fairytale, cold or no."_

            "Now you're supposed to say 'Bah, Humbug!'" Amelia instructed.

            Marcus shook his head helplessly at the two girls.  "I love Christmas!  I just hate this miserable, wet, clingy…" he grimaced as another snowball hit him.  "Stuff.  I'm moving to Maui."

            Amelia smiled craftily.  "You know, Marcus," she pointed out, "as long as it's snowing, no one will make you try to fly."

            Marcus' eyes got wide as he considered this for a moment.  "Long live snow!"

            "Thought so," Amelia giggled.

            Meanwhile, on another sled entirely Lottie and Abigail were having the age-old argument, also about flying.  "I am not afraid of heights!" Lottie said, looking hurt.  "I tell you again like I've told you before!"

            "She _does sit on that window ledge whenever she can," Lily pointed out.  "I mean, even I'm scared to do that!  Would she do that if she were afraid of heights?"_

            "See?" Lottie crowed victoriously.  "I'm not!  For Merlin's sake!"

            "Then why exactly have you somehow weaseled out of _every flying lesson we've had so far this year?" Abigail asked, a small smile on her face.  She carefully smoothed her red cloak, which was lined with black fur.  "Somehow I doubt it's fear of Madam Hooch, although that may very well play into it."_

            "That woman…" Lottie growled, looking murderous.  "She doesn't have a shred of compassion!  Marcus Welch has been in the Infirmary at least four times so far due to her lessons!  Doesn't she feel at _all for that poor boy?"_

            "In the Infirmary, where you have also been, lately because you convinced one of the boys to curse or hex you so that you simply couldn't go to class," Lily said.  "Really, Lottie, I _know those moose antlers were James Potter's work!  You'd think you had a little __pride."_

            "You're ganging up on me again," Lottie accused.  "Pathetic excuse for friends, really."

            Lily, quite used to Lottie's temper, just smiled charmingly and patted Lottie on the back through her purple cloak.  "All right, you're not afraid of heights," Lily said soothingly.

            _"Thank you!"_

            "What are you afraid of?" Lily asked just as calmly.

            Lottie sighed.  "Oh, for Merlin's sake, you won't leave me alone, will you?  I'm not afraid of heights!  I'm afraid of being high up on something smaller around than me which _moves."  She looked down into her lap, looking quite humiliated.  "There."_

            "Broomsticks?  You're afraid of _broomsticks?" Abigail asked incredulously._

            "Oh, go on then, laugh," Lottie said sullenly.  "Reckless Charlotte Eve Christianson, afraid of broomsticks.  I can see the Daily Prophet headlines now."

            "Well, I think flying is horrid anyway," Lily said staunchly.  "So there."  Lottie looked up, smiled at her, and hugged her tightly.  "Be glad that Potter and his cronies aren't around, or they'd joke," Lily added.

            "If Sirius found out, it'd be highly unfavorable for you, wouldn't it?" Abigail asked.  "He's aiming for the Gryffindor reserves next year, you know."

            Lottie sniffled.  "Oh, all right.  I'll learn how to fly.  But I'll hate every moment of it!"

            "In the end, love conquers all," Abigail smiled beatifically.

            "I believe I shall strangle you," Lottie said sweetly.

            "Please do it when I'm not around," Lily requested.  "The sight of your dead body might put me off my dinner."

            All three laughed as the sleighs pulled into Hogsmeade.

            The platform seemed rather different now than it had in September, snow-covered as it was.  The Hogwarts students weren't the only ones on the platform.  Trickling in from town were several older witches and wizards, one of them with a kneazle on a leash, many of them carrying shopping bags.  "Diagon Alley, do you think?" Lily asked.

            "It's like a regular train station!"

            "Well, of course they use this station more than twice a year!" James laughed from where he had sidled up next to the group of girls, his friends following.  "The train's reserved for Hogwarts students when we come to school and when we go home.  The rest of the time, you buy tickets just like for a normal train."  He shrugged.  "It costs less than the international floo rooms do, anyway."

            "Floo?" Lily asked, momentarily distracted enough not to snap at him.

            "The best method of travel outside of the good old broomstick," Sirius piped up.

            "Naturally, this is because it involves fire and explosions?" Abigail asked.

            "Naturally," Sirius nodded.

            "I hate the floo," Peter said.  "It takes forever to get the ashes out of my hair."

            "Ashes?" Lily asked, more flabbergasted than before.

            "Pathetic," James said disdainfully.

            Abigail, calm and collected Abigail, glared icily.  "I'd have thought _you would be the last one to look down upon Muggle-born wizards, James Potter," she said coolly.  "I could be wrong, of course.  Your lineage is impeccable, I've no doubt."_

            James looked stricken and turned white.  "I'm… sorry, Evans," he said.  Then he walked away, his friends following.  Sirius looked apologetic, but didn't say anything.  Peter and Remus just looked very uncomfortable.

            Lily blinked.  "He actually sounded _sorry," she said, eyes wide in amazement._

            "He should."  Abigail's voice was clipped-Lily had never heard her so obviously distressed before.

            "Yes," Lottie nodded.  Her voice, too, was strained.  "Get on the train, Lily."

            Lily didn't understand, but she wordlessly followed her two friends onto the train anyway, where Lottie proceeded to curl into a ball in the corner of the compartment under her cloak, not saying anything.  Abigail, her lips a bit pinched, pulled a book out of the folds of her cloak, opened it, and tried to read.  Which was rather difficult, as it was upside down.

            Lily shook her head at her friends' odd behavior, absentmindedly petting Splotch, who had jumped up in her lap and began to purr thunderously, thereby giving Lily notice that it was time to pay attention to her.  The little black kitten had grown much larger, now being very fluffy with a very long bottlebrush tail.  She closed her bright yellow eyes and purred contentedly as Lily watched the snowy landscape in the window go by.

***

            "Five of hearts."

            "Clubs."

            "War!"

            Remus leaned back against the seat.  "Boring," he said as Peter and Sirius duked it out with a deck of cards on the floor.

            James sighed.  "Well, Professor Mizuhara took the Wizard's Chess away."

            "And my Exploding Snap," Sirius sighed.  "Yes!"  He took all the cards on the floor and grinned at Peter.

            "And mine too," Peter said.

            "And the fireworks," Remus sighed.  "And I think she got that nose-biting teacup, didn't she, James?"

            "Yeah," James said.  "She was drinking tea out of it yesterday.  It didn't bite her."

            "It wouldn't dare," Remus sniggered.

            James shook his head as Sirius collected again.  "This is pathetic.  Deal me in, Sirius."  He sighed and plopped on the floor.  "Five card draw, Aces wild."

            "We were playing War," Peter said.

            "Have a little respect for my intelligence, will you?" James said.  "Come on, Sirius."

            "I can't play poker, James."

            "You'll learn," Sirius said cheerfully.

            "My mum'll _kill me," Peter whined._

            "Enjoy your last few hours, then," James suggested.  "Deal me in, Sirius."

            "You're the boss," Sirius shrugged.

            "Remus, are you in?" James asked.

            "I play _chess," Remus said with as much dignity as he could muster.  "Not __that."_

            "Remus gets out," Peter sighed.  "How come I don't?"  He picked up his cards like one resigned to his fate.

            "Oh, that's easy," Remus said with a grin.  "I can beat him up."

            "That only happened _once!" James said.  "And I wasn't expecting-"_

            "See ya!" Remus said cheerfully.  "I'm going to look for someone who can play an _intelligent game."  He walked out of the compartment, sliding the door shut behind him, grinning in a manner eerily akin to Sirius'._

            There was silence in the compartment, then.  "_Remus?__  Remus beat you up?"_

            "Shut the hell up, Sirius."

***

            The train pulled into King's Cross Station just as it was beginning to get dark.  The students spilled out into snow-covered London, merry and cheerful now that school was behind them for a month.  Lottie, her hair messy around her face, seemed to have her temper much improved by her little nap.  "All right, make sure you cause as much chaos as possible, and turn your sister into something nasty at least once," she instructed Lily.

            "You are such a very bad influence," Abigail said, but she was smiling.  "I'll miss you.  Both of you, despite the many times you have attempted to get me killed, expelled, enchanted, or something else equally nasty."

            Lottie impulsively hugged both of them.  "Let's get our luggage and get going," she said.

As they pulled their trunks from the train, Splotch weaving between their legs and mewing disdainfully at the snow, and Athena hooting impatiently, flying around their heads, they were silent, as if not quite sure what to say.  Molly O'Malley ran up to them, nearly slipping on the ice, her trunk floating behind her, her yellow and black scarf flying.  "Lily!  Come on, Lily!"

Lily quickly hugged both her friends.  "Happy Christmas," she said.  "Owl me, will you?  Petunia's certain to drive me to distraction."

"We'll send plenty of Howlers.  Addressed to her, naturally."

Lily giggled.  "Thanks Lottie.  For some reason I can't name, I actually find that reassuring."

"This," Lottie said, "is because I have corrupted you."

Severus Snape came up to them then, scowling quite ferociously.  "Your mother's sick," he said, looking as though he'd rather have teeth pulled than be here.  "Mum says, get your things, she'll take you home."

Lottie grimaced.  "I have to put up with _you the whole way?"_

"You could walk," he suggested.  "In fact, please do."  He swept away, looking rather like a bat.

"Er… Happy Christmas!" Lottie called, then took off after him.  "Severus, damn your greasy hide, wait up!"

Lily, Abigail and Molly went through the barrier together, and into a crowd of parents, quite cleverly arrayed so that the barrier would be invisible to anyone else.  Abigail looked torn for a moment, then smiled faintly at Lily.  "Happy Christmas," she said, but didn't hug her.  Two tall men dressed all in black had already picked up her trunk.  She followed them away without greeting, and the crowd closed around them.

"I wonder what-" Lily didn't get to finish her sentence, for just then, she caught sight of grinning faces and two heads of bright red hair.  _"MUM!"  She flew into her mother's arms, ignoring Brenna and (why did she have to be there, anyway?) Petunia as her mother picked her up and hugged her tightly._

"Lily!  Oh, I missed you…"  She pulled away, kissed both her cheeks, and promptly teared up.  "Oh baby, you're even prettier than you were before."

Petunia snorted softly.  Lily ignored her.  "So're you, Mummy," she said.  She grinned at Molly, who was getting the same treatment from Brenna.  "Hello, Mrs. O'Malley."  She looked disdainfully up at her sister, who had grown yet taller.  "Oh, Petunia.  I didn't see you there."  With a bit of a smirk she had picked up from a few of the Slytherins despite herself, she linked her arm with her mother's.  "Mummy, I'm so glad you came to get me!"

"Well, my little girls are important to me, even when they _are being very unkind to each other," Alanna said cheerfully.  Brenna snorted, then pointed at the trunks and muttered something.  They promptly vanished.  "Now then, I'll bet you're hungry."_

"Yes!"  With a grin on her face, Lily grabbed Athena out of the air, settled her on her shoulder (with glares aplenty from the direction of Petunia) and asked, "Where are we eating?  Are we staying in London tonight then?"

Brenna shook her head.  "No, actually, we'll catch something in a café, and then we'll go home."

"But… it's so late!"

Alanna grinned.  "Watch."

"I quite amazed her with my resourcefulness earlier," Brenna grinned.  "Pity Petunia slept right through it."

"I hope I sleep through it _again," Petunia grumbled.  "Abnormal insanity, all of it just-"_

"Now, Petty, be nice," Alanna admonished.  "Come on, girls.  Let's get some hot soup in us, shall we?"

Over a hot meal in a small café just outside the station, there was laughter, stories, and jokes.  Despite Petunia's obvious dislike and distrust for all things magical (thus, the other occupants of the table), she certainly didn't want to upset her mother, so she behaved to a point.  It meant she was unnaturally quiet, but that was all right by Lily, who chattered away about her friends, her lessons, and her intense dislike for the pranksters of her school.  "We tied in finals, can you imagine?" she told her mother.  "I didn't think someone that… stupid… actually _studied.  But we tied for second place behind Abigail, and even though I think it was just dumb luck, I'll just have to work harder, anyway.  I've got the highest Charms mark in the year, in any case."_

Alanna just laughed.  "I'd like to meet this James Potter of yours someday, Lily."

Lily blushed furiously down into her napkin.  "Mummy!  How can you call him 'my' anything?  He's cruel and careless, and he makes fun of my hair and of my temper-"

"Well, you have my hair and my temper," Alanna said with a grin.  "Irish to the bone.  He'd be a fool if he _didn't notice it."_

"He's horrid, Mummy."

Alanna smiled the kind of smile which clearly stated she knew something that her small daughter didn't.  "Of course he is, darling."

"Ready to go?" Brenna asked, returning from the counter where she had just paid the bill.  "Let's get going, girls, or we won't be home for afternoon tea after all."

Alanna grinned like a child anticipating a treat.  Petunia winced and tried not to look scared (she managed to look like she had a bad stomachache).  Molly and Brenna looked nonchalant.  Lily giggled and grinned.

They walked out of the café, and Brenna led them around back where the trashcans stood in the small alleyway and there were no people at all.

"What-" Petunia said uncomfortably.

Brenna lifted her wand to the sky.  There was a bang, and then, "Is that a purple bus?" Lily asked, eyes wide.  "And where did the wall go, Mrs. O'Malley?  It's just gone!  What about the people inside the café?  What happens to them if half of it disappears?"

"I don't see any bus," Petunia said.

"Of course you don't," Brenna said.  "Wait just a moment."

Lily blinked.  There was a purple bus where half of the café had been.  The door opened.  "Welcome to the Knight Bus, transportation for the stranded witch or wizard," intoned a bored voice from inside.  "I'm your conductor, Barry Carlson.  Please come in and make yourselves comfortable."  He looked down and his wrinkly face split into a grin which seemed to hide his eyes in the folds of his face.  "Hiya there, Miz O'Malley.  You just get prettier every time I sees you."

"Barry, you flatterer, I've got five.  Two Muggles again."

"Mummy, who's she _talking to?" Petunia asked fearfully.  "I only see the wall!  Why is she-"_

"Hush, Petty," Alanna said.  "You slept through this last time.  Just wait a minute."

"Mummy, I'm _cold!"_

"You keep bringing them Muggles on my bus, I'm likely to get in trouble, you know, Miz O'Malley."

Brenna smiled charmingly.  "One last time, Barry, please.  Alanna missed her little girl too much for me to just leave her at home while I picked her up.  Hogwarts, you know."

He nodded.  "Well, seeing as you won't let up, get on in.  And I'm the first to appreciate motherly feelings, but I won't have that little tow-headed one making a fuss.  She looks like she's about to."

"Petunia will behave," Lily grinned.  "Otherwise, I'll have to do something drastic to her.  I've learned all sorts of dangerous and entertaining things from my best friend at school."

Brenna shook her head, laughing.  "Lily, do remember that there's no magic allowed outside of school.  Come on, Alanna.  Bring Petty over here; let's get her on the bus."

Petunia, being Petunia, protested.  "There's nothing here!"

"Just step up, honey," Brenna coaxed.  "There's a step right here."

"There isn't either!"  She looked revved up for a good fit.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Brenna sighed.  "Have it your way.  Mobilicorpus!"

Petunia shrieked as she lifted into the air, then floated into the bus.  As soon as she was through the door, she stopped struggling.  "Where did this come from?  This wasn't here before!"

"Step up, Alanna," Brenna said.  Alanna, unlike her oldest child, stepped willingly onto what appeared to her to be thin air, and in short order, all of them were on the bus, Molly and Lily following them, Brenna paying the fare once again.

"Take the beds near the back," Barry instructed.  "It'll be a bit before we can get over to Ireland.  I've got a couple to take over into Yorkshire first."

"We'll be all right," Brenna said, shooing the little group to the rather comfortable-looking beds at the back of the bus.  They spent a minute shaking out their cloaks and coats.  The snow vanished the moment it hit the floor, and soon they were dry and warm.

"Ready to go?" Barry asked.

Brenna nodded.

"Let 'er rip, Charlie."  This was obviously directed at the driver behind the partition.

They settled down, Petunia looking as though she expected her seat to disappear out from under her at any moment.  The bus shook violently as the alleyway vanished.  Petunia fell off of her bed.

Lily sniggered.  "I love being a witch."  The bus rattled again, and Petunia barely managed to stay on the bed, where she had just managed to climb between tremors.  Grinning, Lily leaned back, holding onto the headboard for balance, feeling quite on top of the world.  Christmas was going to be wonderful.


End file.
